Sensing catheters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12171984-B2
Application number	US-202318122030-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2023
Priority date	Jul 3, 2019
Publication date	Dec 24, 2024
Grant date	Dec 24, 2024

Abstract

A catheter system may include a catheter lumen, first and second electrodes, and a sensor in communication with the first and second electrodes. The sensor may be configured to detect at least one of: a bulk volume of blood within a blood vessel and extravasation of a drug from the blood vessel into soft tissue adjacent the blood vessel. Other catheter systems may include a catheter lumen and a sensing chip coupled to the catheter lumen. The sensing chip may be configured to detect at least one of: a bulk volume of blood within a blood vessel and extravasation of a drug from the blood vessel into soft tissue adjacent the blood vessel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A catheter system comprising:
a catheter, comprising:
a distal end forming a distalmost surface of the catheter;
a catheter lumen extending proximally from the distal end of the catheter, the catheter lumen comprising:
a proximal end;
a distal end;
an inner lumen surface; and
an outer lumen surface;

an introducer needle extending through the catheter, wherein the introducer needle comprises a sharp distal tip;
a blood flashback pathway disposed between the inner lumen surface and the introducer needle;
a first electrode proximate the distalmost surface of the catheter;
a second electrode, wherein the introducer needle comprises the second electrode;
an electrically insulating layer proximate the blood flashback pathway, wherein the electrically insulating layer is configured to electrically insulate the first electrode and the second electrode; and
a blood sensor in communication with the first and second electrodes,
wherein when the distal end of the catheter lumen is inserted into a blood vessel of a patient:
at least a portion of the first and second electrodes are embedded within the blood vessel of the patient,
the first and second electrodes are in communication with each other via blood residing within the blood vessel of the patient, and
the blood sensor detects insertion of the distal end of the catheter lumen into the blood vessel of the patient by sensing at least one characteristic associated with the blood residing within the blood vessel of the patient.

2. The catheter system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the blood residing within the blood vessel of the patient comprises at least one of:
an impedance;
an inductance;
a capacitance;
a pressure; and
an electromagnetic signal.

3. The catheter system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first attachment feature configured to couple the blood sensor to the first electrode; and
a second attachment feature configured to couple the blood sensor to the second electrode.

4. The catheter system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first electrode comprises an electrically conductive material deposited on the outer lumen surface; and
the second electrode comprises an electrically conductive material deposited on the outer lumen surface,
wherein at least portions of the first and second electrodes are located proximate the distal end of the catheter lumen, and
the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from each other on the outer lumen surface.

5. The catheter system of claim 4 , wherein the electrically conductive material comprises an electrically conductive ink.

6. The catheter system of claim 1 , wherein:
the catheter lumen is made of an electrically conductive plastic to form the first electrode; end
the catheter lumen comprises the first electrode.

7. The catheter system of claim 6 , wherein the blood sensor is configured to detect when the distal end of the catheter lumen is inserted into the blood vessel of the patient by sensing an electrical characteristic associated with the blood residing within the blood vessel of the patient between the catheter lumen and the introducer needle.

8. The catheter system of claim 7 , wherein:
the blood sensor is configured to detect when the distal end of the catheter lumen is inserted into the blood vessel of the patient by sensing an electrical characteristic associated with the blood residing within the blood vessel of the patient between the distal end of the catheter lumen and a distal portion of the introducer needle.

9. The catheter system of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is disposed at least at a top of the distalmost surface configured to be a portion of the distalmost surface closest to skin of the patient when the catheter is inserted into a blood vessel of the patient.

10. The catheter system of claim 1 , wherein the distalmost surface of the catheter comprises a circle, wherein the first electrode is disposed at least at a top of the circle configured to be a portion of the distalmost surface closest to skin of the patient when the catheter is inserted into a blood vessel of the patient.

Assignees

• Becton Dickinson Co

Inventors

• Ooi Chun Keat
• Kumar Jithendra

Classifications

• A61B2018/00875

  Resistance or impedance · CPC title

• A61B2018/00404

  Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart · CPC title

• A61B18/1492

  having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M39/10

  Tube connectors; Tube couplings {(A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014)} · CPC title

• A61M2005/1588

  having means for monitoring, controlling or visual inspection, e.g. for patency check, avoiding extravasation · CPC title