Medical tube and apparatus for locating the same in the body of a patient
US5902238A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 2, 1996 |
| Grant date | May 11, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 2, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01V3/081
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A medical tube, apparatus and method for locating the medical tube within the body of a patient. The medical tube has a permanent magnet associated therewith and is capable of being located by a detection apparatus which senses the static magnetic field strength gradient generated by the magnet associated with the medical tube and indicates the value of the gradient to the user. In one embodiment, the magnet is associated with the distal end of the medical tube in a fixed orientation with a magnetic dipole pointing to the proximal end and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the medical tube such that polarity of the magnet's static magnetic field as sensed by the detection apparatus indicates the orientation of the distal end of the medical tube with the body of a patient.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.