TONOMETRIC CATHETER COMBINATION

摘要

A tonometric catheter combination apparatus (20a) for measuring a fluid of interest indicative of the condition of an internal organ of a human or other mammal in vivo. The tonometric catheter combination (20a) provides for early detection of intestinal ischemia and/or stress ulceration and may also operate as a sump for draining fluid from an organ or for introducing fluid to the organ. The apparatus includes a tonometric catheter tube (68) which has a walled sampling chamber (40) thereon, which optionally may be in communication with the interior of the catheter tube. The wall (36) of the sampling chamber (40) is made of a material which is freely permeable to a gas or fluid property of interest but poorly permeable to other fluids. At least a second walled tube (66) is included for delivering fluids to or draining fluids from the internal organ.