Tonometric catheter apparatus for measuring a property of a fluid or gas

摘要

A tonometric catheter apparatus 20a for measuring a property of a fluid or gas of interest which is indicative of the state of an internal organ of a human being or other mammal in vivo. The apparatus includes a tonometric catheter tube 68 which has therein a sampling chamber 40 with a wall, which can optionally communicate with the inside of the catheter tube. The wall 36 of the sampling chamber 40 is made of a material which is freely permeable to a property of the gas or fluid or interest, but not very permeable to other fluids. At least one second tube 66 with a wall is included in order to deliver fluids to or drain fluids from the internal organ. The tonometric catheter apparatus 20a allows the easy detection of intestinal ischaemia and/or ulceration due to stress and can also operate as a drain for draining fluid from an organ or for introducing fluid into the organ. <IMAGE>