| 摘要 |
DIAGNOSTIC CATHETER FOR MONITORING CARDIAC OUTPUT An elongated flexible plastic tubular member having a plurality (five) lumens extending along the length dimension thereof has a balloonlike expander located at the distal end portion thereof, the balloon surrounding a port communicating with one of the plural lumens so that a fluid introduced at the proximal end of the catheter can be made to inflate the balloon. Starting a first predetermined distance proximal of the distal end of the catheter is a zone in which a series of surface electrodes are axially spaced over the zone of the catheter body. extending through another lumen of the catheter are the electrical conductors which connect each of the surface electrodes to an electrical connector at the proximal end of the catheter. In still another of the catheter's lumens are a pair of stiffener members, one being co-extensive with the zone of the catheter bearing the axially spaced surface electrodes and the other being spaced a short predetermined distance proximally of the first stiffener member. The gap between the two stiffener members allows the catheter to bend without kinking the lumen so that when used, the most proximal ring electrode will be disposed near the apex of the right ventricle with the portion distal of the bend extending upward through the outflow tract of the right ventricle. The distal end portion bearing the balloon is located in the pulmonary outflow tract leading to the lungs. Further lumens and ports communicating therewith may be added to permit the catheter to be used to take thermal dilution measurements of cardiac outputs so that they can be compared with measurements taken using impedance plethysmography. |
