Device for assessing ischemia in nerve root tissue using oxygen saturation

摘要

A retractor has an oximeter sensor at its tip, which allows measuring of oxygen saturation of a tissue being retracted by the retractor. The tip includes one or more openings for at least one source and detector. A specific implementation is a spinal nerve root retractor with an oximeter sensor.

主权项

1. A device comprising:
a shaft comprising a first portion of an internal channel that extends from a distal end to a proximal end of the shaft, wherein the shaft comprises a bend, positioned between the distal and proximal ends, that divides the shaft into first and second portions, and the first portion of the shaft is angled with respect to the second portion of the shaft; a handle, coupled to the proximal end of the shaft, wherein the handle comprises a second portion of the internal channel extending from a first end to a second end of the handle, and the second portion of the internal channel couples to the first portion of the internal channel of the shaft; a tip, coupled to the distal end of the shaft, wherein the tip comprises a third portion of the internal channel coupled to the first portion of the internal channel and the third portion of the internal channel extends through the tip to at least two oximeter sensor openings of the tip, the tip comprises a planar surface comprising the at least two sensor openings and a retractor blade that is angled with respect to the planar surface at a blade-to-surface angle, the refractor blade is angled with respect to the second portion of the shaft also at the blade-to-surface angle, at a point where the first and third portions of the internal channel meet, the first portion of the internal channel of the shaft is aligned with the third portion of the internal channel of the tip without a change in direction, and the at least two sensor openings are in a linear arrangement that is parallel to the retractor blade; an enclosed passageway of the internal channel, extending contiguously from the sensor openings of the tip through the third portion of the internal channel, through the first portion of the internal channel of the shaft, and through the second portion of the internal channel to the second end of the handle; and at least two optical fibers, coupled to the at least two sensor openings, wherein the at least two optical fibers extend through the enclosed passageway of the internal channel formed by the third, first, and second portions of the internal channel to the second end of the handle.