CATHETER WITH LOCALIZATION APPARATUS AND METHOD OF LOCALIZATION

摘要

A positioning element is used in combination with a catheter for localizing the position of the catheter within a body. The positioning element identifies the position of the catheter by emission of energy , reflection of the energy, and reception of the reflected energy. A catheter includes a flexible tube having a proximal end and a distal end. The flexible tube is employed by insertion into a body. A reflector is affixed to the flexible tube at a measured location between the proximal end and the distal end. The reflector indicates the position of the flexible tube within the body relative to a position on a skin surface of the body.