Transesophageal ultrasound probe with an adaptive bending section
US8172758B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 10, 2008 |
| Grant date | May 8, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 9, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B5/03
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
When transesophageal echocardiography is used to obtain a transgastric short axis view of the left ventricle of the heart, the best place to position the transducer is in the fundus of the stomach, aimed up through the left ventricle. The probes disclosed herein facilitate placement of the transducer in the optimum position within the fundus, despite wide variations in the distance between the lower esophageal sphincter and the fundus among different subjects. In one preferred embodiment, the ultrasound probe uses a bending section with a series of vertebrae and stiffening that is more flexible proximally and less flexible distally, which causes the probe to bend relatively sharply at the point where the probe exits the lower esophageal sphincter. The flexibility of the proximal-most portion of the bending section is preferably greater than or equal to the flexibility of the interface between the bending section and the shaft.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.