SYSTEM AND APPARATUS COMPRISING A MULTISENSOR GUIDEWIRE FOR USE IN INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY

摘要

A system and apparatus comprising a multisensor guidewire for use in interventional cardiology, e.g. for Transcatheter Valve Therapies (TVT), comprises a plurality of optical sensors for direct measurement of cardiovascular parameters, e.g. transvalvular blood pressure gradients and flow. A conventional outer coil contains a shaped core wire having a cross-section defining helical grooves extending along its length, which accommodate optical fibers and optical sensors within a diameter Dcore of the core wire. Advantageously, the diameter and material of the core wire provides the guidewire with sufficient stiffness for use as a support guidewire for valve replacement, e.g. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), while accommodating multiple sensors and optical fibers within a guidewire of outside diameter ≦0.89 mm. An optical connector couples the guidewire to a control system. Optionally, the guidewire includes a contact force sensor; a pre-formed tip; and/or a separable micro-connector for proximal mounting of over-the-guidewire components.

主权项

1. A multisensor guidewire for measuring blood pressure concurrently at multiple locations during a minimally invasive intravascular or cardiac intervention, comprising:
a tubular covering layer comprising a flexible coil (coil), the coil having a length extending between a proximal end and a distal end, an outside diameter of ≦1 mm, a core wire extending within the coil from the proximal end to the distal end, and the distal end comprising a flexible distal tip; a plurality of optical sensors and a plurality of optical fibers; a sensor end of each optical fiber being attached and optically coupled to an individual one of the plurality of optical sensors; the core wire having an external surface with a cross-sectional profile defining a plurality of grooves extending along a length of the core wire, each groove accommodating an individual optical fiber and a respective optical sensor within a diameter Dcore of the core wire and providing a sensor arrangement with said plurality of optical sensors positioned at respective sensor locations within a distal end portion of the guidewire; a proximal end of each of the plurality of optical fibers being coupled to an optical input/output connector at the proximal end of the guidewire for connection to an optical control system; and the plurality of optical sensors of the sensor arrangement including at least two optical pressure sensors at respective sensor locations spaced apart lengthwise along a length of said distal end portion.