Surgical introducer with indicators

摘要

A surgical introducer including a body portion, a shaft and a sensor is disclosed. The body portion includes a reference indicator. The shaft defines a longitudinal axis and is positionable adjacent the body portion. The shaft is rotatable with respect to the body portion and includes a longitudinal indicator and a circumferential indicator. The sensor is disposed in mechanical cooperation with a distal portion of the shaft and is adapted to provide physiological data pertaining to a surgical worksite. At least a portion of the sensor is substantially aligned with the circumferential indicator. Rotation of the shaft with respect to the body portion causes displacement between the circumferential indicator and the reference indicator. Longitudinal movement of the shaft with respect to the body portion causes displacement between the longitudinal indicator and the reference indicator.

主权项

1. A method of ascertaining physiological data, comprising the steps of:
providing a surgical introducer, the surgical introducer including a body portion, a shaft, and a sensor; positioning the surgical introducer within tissue; measuring a physiological attribute of the tissue with the sensor when the surgical introducer is in an initial position, wherein, when the surgical introducer is in the initial position, a circumferential indicator disposed on an outer surface of the shaft and a reference indicator disposed on an outer surface of the body portion are substantially aligned; moving the shaft with respect to the body portion such that the surgical introducer is in a second position, wherein moving the shaft includes concurrently rotating the shaft and longitudinally translating the shaft; and measuring a physiological attribute of the tissue with the sensor when the surgical introducer is the second position.