Regulated gas delivery apparatus for gas-column angioscopy

摘要

An apparatus and a method for establishing a static column of gas inside a blood vessel and a system for automatically regulating the delivery and removal of the gas from the target blood vessel. The regulated gas delivery system for use with the gas-column angioscopy procedure comprises a gas reservoir, a pair of syringes operated by computer controlled electromotors, a valve system for directing the flow of gas into and out of the system, and a catheter assembly for establishing the gas-column inside the target vessel and for introducing fiber optic and microsurgical devices into the lumen of the target vessel.