ASPIRATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES OF BIOLOGICAL TISSUES AND SYNTHETIC MATERIALS

摘要

A device for measuring the elastic deformability of soft tissue comprises a probe head (1) having the form of a cup with a cavity (11), side walls (37) and a bottom wall (38, 39), a first probe channel (22), a pressure unit and a control unit, the first probe channel (22) being configured to connect the pressure unit, that provides a vacuum inside first probe channel (22) and that is controlled by the control unit, with the probe head (1), wherein the first probe channel (22) has a distal end (14) leading through the bottom wall (39) into the cavity (11). The device further comprises a second probe channel (23) having a distal end leading through the bottom wall (39) into the cavity (11) and being connected with a pressure sensor provided to determine the pressure in the cavity (11) and to communicate it to the control unit to determine the point in time, when deformed tissue closes the distal end (14) of the first probe channel (22) based on a pressure difference in the two probe channels (22 and 23), wherein the two probe channels (2; 22, 23) are flexible tubes (2) passing loosely through a hollow sleeve (30, 31, 32, 33) allowing an essentially free relative movement between probe head (1) and hollow sleeve (30, 31, 32, 33).