INTEGRAL INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE MONITOR AND DRAINAGE CATHETER ASSEMBLY

摘要

-48-A monitor-driven intracranial catheter assemblyincluding a dual lumen catheter for monitoring intracranialpressure via a pressure sensor located in one lumen whilesimultaneously draining cerebrospinal fluid through theother lumen. The pressure sensor is preferably a spectralmodulation sensor that communicates with a photodetectorapparatus by means of a single optical fiber, thusminimizing the diameter of the catheter. The photodetectoris self-correcting for signal errors caused by temperaturechange, changes in intensity of the input light, andtransmission losses within the optical apparatus.Moreover, the photodetector operates off the output voltageof the standard hospital monitor by "scaling" the signalfrom the monitor to provides a pressure measurement signalthat emulates the output of a piezoresistive strain gaugesensor or Wheatstone bridge. Therefore, the entirecatheter assembly is designed to be used with any of thecommon types of hospital monitors. The pressure monitoringcatheter assembly can be used in any situation requiringvery sensitive pressure measurements and can be zeroed andcalibrated in situ.