Abstract: An illumination device for an endoscope includes illumination means for coupling light into a light guide. The illumination means has an LED matrix array having a plurality of LED pixels forming an emission area, and further includes a light guide port associated with the illumination means for positioning a light-guiding transmission area, which is disposed at an end of the light guide. The device also includes LED pixels configured as sensor elements configured to detect LED pixels of the emission area that are directed at non-light-guiding portions of the light guide, and wherein the device has a control unit which is configured to selectively operate the LED pixels of the LED matrix array for coupling light into the light guide in such a manner that at least some of the LED pixels directed at the non-guiding portions of the light guide in the main emission direction are operated at lower power or deactivated.

Abstract: A method and device for determining the depth and fluorophore concentration of a fluorophore concentration below the surface of an optically absorbing and scattering medium suitable for use in fluorescence-based surgical guidance such as in tumor resection is described. Long-wavelength stimulus light us used to obtain deep tissue penetration. Recovery of depth is performed by fitting measured modulation amplitudes for each spatial frequency to precomputed modulation amplitudes in a table of modulation amplitudes indexed by optical parameters and depth.

Abstract: A device for controlling blood flow occurring in a haemorrhagic zone of a biological tissue, includes a flexible plate arranged to be placed opposite this zone, the flexible plate including: substantially leaktight peripheral supporting elements, for applying on the tissue so that the zone is surrounded; a back wall delimiting, with the supporting elements, opposite the zone, a hollow space; connecting elements connecting the hollow space, externally to the flexible plate, to an external aspiration source for creating a vacuum in the hollow space for aspirating and tightly applying the surface of the tissue against the peripheral supporting elements; and a hollow stud placed between the zone and the back wall and hollowed out in its centre on the side of the zone along an axis substantially perpendicular to the back wall, and arranged to be in contact with the zone when the vacuum is created in the space.

Abstract: Method and system for early detection of precancerous and other abnormal changes in tissue of various organs. The system comprises a combination of endoscopic scanning with light scattering spectroscopy and improves detection of abnormalities that may otherwise remain undetected. The system may include a probe that collects data of quality that is independent of a distance of the probe from the scanned tissue. During endoscopy, tissue of an organ is imaged using polarized multispectral light scattering scanning and results are presented to a user in a manner that allows detecting abnormal morphological and biochemical changes in the tissue. A determination of whether to perform biopsy may be performed while the endoscopy is being performed, which thus provides guided biopsy. An entire surface of the organ may be rapidly scanned and results of the scanning are analyzed with a reduced time delay.

Abstract: A probe for a common path optical coherence tomography system includes a sheath having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a lumen therein, a single mode optical fiber disposed within the lumen of the sheath such that a portion of the single mode optical fiber extends beyond the distal end of the sheath. The single mode optical fiber has an end face for transmitting and receiving light. The probe also includes a layer of hardened epoxy encasing the portion of the single mode optical fiber that extends beyond the distal end of the sheath except for the end face. The single mode optical fiber has an optical axis extending along a longitudinal direction of the single mode optical fiber. The hardened epoxy is polished at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the optical axis at the end face.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for calibrating medical devices and processing physiological measurements using a medical device management system. As an example, the medical device can be a handheld glucometer configured for invasive testing and non-invasive testing of physiological parameters of a patient.

Abstract: A system and method for guiding a catheter or other medical device to a desired target destination within the vasculature of a patient via bioimpedance measurements is disclosed. The target destination in one embodiment includes placement of the catheter such that a distal tip thereof is disposed proximate the heart, e.g., the junction of the right atrium and superior vena cava. In one embodiment the method for guiding the catheter comprises introducing the catheter into a vessel of the patient, the catheter defining a lumen through which fluids can be infused into the vasculature of the patient. The catheter is advanced toward a target destination within the vasculature. A first impedance value based on intravascular detection of at least one electrical property related to a first tissue surface of the vessel is calculated to enable determination of the proximity of a distal end of the catheter to the target destination.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a packing container including: a packing container body including a leading-out section which contains an optical probe having a first end section for incoming of a laser beam and a second end section for outgoing of the incoming laser beam, which leads out the first end section of the optical probe thus contained to the exterior and which is sealed, and a window section by which the laser beam going out from the second end section of the contained optical probe is led out to the exterior; and a light-transmitting member which closes the window section and permits the laser beam to pass therethrough.

Abstract: The present application relates to continuous measurement of total hemoglobin (tHb) in whole blood. In one embodiment, different wavelengths are used for normalization of the spectral intensity and calculation of the total hemoglobin. In particular, for normalization, a first wavelength is used wherein the wavelength is substantially insensitive to changes in levels of hemoglobin and oxygen saturation. For calculation of the total hemoglobin, a second wavelength is used. The second wavelength is sensitive to changes in levels of hemoglobin, but substantially insensitive to changes in levels of oxygen saturation. In another embodiment, a continuous measurement can be made using two wavelengths that are both sensitive to oxygen saturation, but they both are equally sensitive. In other words, the normalized intensities associated with the two wavelengths change equal amounts with equal changes in oxygen saturation levels.

Abstract: First and second white light is generated by excitations of phosphors with first and second laser beams having center wavelengths of 473 nm and 445 nm, respectively. The first and second white light is applied, in respective frames, sequentially to a region of interest in a subject. A color image sensor images the region of interest in the each frame. Based on a shift amount, calculated from green signals of first and second frames, between images, an image of a blue signal of the first frame is moved to be aligned with an image of a green signal and an image of a red signal of the second frame. After the alignment, an oxygen saturation image representing an oxygen saturation level of hemoglobin in blood is produced from the blue signal of the first frame and green and red signals of the second frame, and displayed on a display.

Abstract: An implantable medical device including a radially-expandable body and an attached detection device. The detection device includes a sensor positioned on a surface of the radially-expandable body and configured to detect endothelialization of the surface. The detection device also includes a transmitter and a receiver. Systems incorporating the implantable medical device and methods of using the device are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an interconnect for an implantable medical device. The interconnect includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer introduced over the first conductive layer, and a third conductive layer introduced over the second conductive layer. One of the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the third conductive layer comprises titanium-niobium (Ti—Nb).

Abstract: A body-insertable device including a resonance circuit for emitting a resonance magnetic field by being induced by a drive magnetic field received from the outside. An external device for deriving position information of the resonance circuit by using a detection signal of detected resonance magnetic field. The external device includes a drive coil driving unit for outputting a drive signal having a predetermined frequency, a drive coil for receiving the output drive signal and generating the drive magnetic field, and a drive magnetic field generation control unit for calculating an amplitude value of the drive signal by using a current amplitude value of the drive signal, detecting a degree of stability indicating whether a sharp change occurs in the drive magnetic field based on the calculated amplitude value, and controlling the deriving of a position information based on the detected degree of stability in the drive magnetic field.

Abstract: In general, the disclosure is directed toward releasing material within a medical device via an optical feedthrough. A system for releasing material with a medical device comprises a cup that holds a material, wherein the cup includes a discharge port, a seal disc that seals the material within the cup, an optical feedthrough assembly coupled to the cup, a shell that defines a chamber within a medical device, wherein the optical feedthrough assembly is coupled to the shell, and a radiant energy source that shines a beam through the optical feedthrough assembly to puncture the seal disc to allow the material to enter the chamber via the discharge port.

Abstract: An intravenous implantable optical sensor assesses the relative absorbance of multiple wavelengths of light in order to determine oxygen saturation. The calculation of oxygen saturation is enhanced by use of a function of hematocrit which is derived from the relative absorbance of light of an isobestic wavelength along two different length paths through the blood. The use of the hematocrit-dependent term and multiple wavelengths of light to calculate oxygen saturation provides results that are less susceptible to noise and variation in hematocrit and thus provides a more accurate measure of oxygen saturation over a wider range of conditions than previously possible. The optical sensor may form part of an implantable system which performs the calculation of oxygen saturation and uses the results for a diagnostic or therapeutic purpose.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining the depth and concentration of fluorophores in a turbid medium are disclosed. The method advantageously provides for a rapid estimation of the depth of the fluorophore using characteristics of a temporal point spread function. The concentration of the fluorophore can be determined using the method of the present invention by combining a calculated depth of the fluorophore with a measurement of the intensity of the emitted fluorescence. The intensity can be accurately measured by the apparatus disclosed herein which combine back-reflection and trans-illumination geometries for the source of light injecting and detection.

Abstract: A system includes multiple slave devices implanted in a human body, wherein each slave device includes a communication module operable to receive transmitted communications and is associated with a permanent device identifier. The system further includes a master device including a communications module operable to address a first communication to a selected slave device using the permanent device identifier associated with the selected slave device, wherein the first communication includes a local identifier assigned to the selected slave device, the assigned local identifier does not match any other local identifier assigned to any other slave device implanted in the human body, and subsequent communications are addressed to the selected slave device using the assigned local identifier.

Abstract: The system and method may measure and monitor physiological changes in a body. In some embodiments, the system and method may measure the impedance at a site in the body. In some embodiments, the system and method identify, quantify, and localize leaks from a site following surgery. In an embodiment, the system includes a flexible conduit with one or more sensors. A flexible conduit shape may be selected to facilitate monitoring of physiological changes in a body and/or detection of leaks at a desired site. In an embodiment, contrast solution may be ingested by, injected in, and/or delivered to a patient. If a leak is present at a site, salt contrast solution may leak from a site and be detected by sensors in a flexible conduit.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for monitoring the physiological parameters of an organ or tissue during and after surgery. The system has a probe and a monitoring unit. In one embodiment the probe includes features for convenient, fixed and releasable attachment to surgical drains without interfering with their normal fluid-draining function while utilizing their suction to enhance the probe-to-tissue interface for improved sensing. An applicator is provided to facilitate such attachment. The monitoring unit which controls the sensors of the probe includes a processor to process, record and display the sensor data. This system may be valuable for monitoring transplanted organs and tissue grafts during the critical postoperative period when most of the clinical complications, such as vascular thrombosis, may occur.

Abstract: Pressure and oxygen saturation monitoring devices and systems are disclosed. The devices, or portions thereof, can be implanted within a subject for monitoring blood pressure and oxygen saturation.

Abstract: Provided is a durable oxygen sensitive probe of sufficient strength to withstand direct tissue pressures in vivo, the probe comprising a sensor chamber within a biocompatible, gas-permeable membrane containing an oxygen sensitive analyte solution producing oxygen quenchable phosphorescence when excited. Further provided is a tissue oxygen detection and measurement system comprising the probe, and methods for use of the probe and the system to directly, rapidly and accurately measure tissue oxygen levels in a patient without reliance on blood vessels or fluid protection of the probe.

Abstract: A method, an implantable medical device, and a computer-readable medium encoded with programming instructions allow monitoring of a hematocrit value and an SvO2 level of a patient, making use of at least one medical lead connected to an implantable medical device that carries an optical sensor module that measures at least one hematocrit value and at least one SvO2 value using at least first, second and third light radiation wavelengths, by determining a present hematocrit value from at least one of the measured hematocrit values and determining a present SvO2 value from at least one of the measured SvO2 values, and determining a patient status by evaluating the present hematocrit value and the present SvO2 value, to allow a change in the patient status to be identified.

Abstract: Systems and methods for radio frequency identification and tagging of implantable medical devices and their components are disclosed. A preferred embodiment includes tagging a device and its components with manufacturing information relating to the device and it components and with information identifying a patient using the device. The information can be automatically transmitted or extracted from the device when the device or its components come into communication range of an external programmer or other device adapted to read or sense the RFID information. Some embodiments of a system disclosed herein can also be configured as a component of an Advanced Patient Management System that helps better monitor, predict and manage chronic diseases.

Abstract: Fibres with an extraction phase coated thereon in combination with a positioning device are described to perform adsorption of components of interest from an animal or animal tissue for the investigation of living systems. A number of interfaces to analytical instrumentation are disclosed including mass spectrometry, LC/MS, MALDI and CE as well as direct spectroscopic on-fibre measurement.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to devices and methods of using a surgical drain, and more particularly to a surgical drain having at least one sensor for monitoring and/or recording the condition of the anatomical site or fluid emitted from the site where the surgical drain is placed. The invention may also include modifications of the surgical drain to improve stabilization or immobilization in the proximity of the anatomical site to be monitored.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to devices and methods of using a surgical drain, and more particularly to a surgical drain having at least one sensor for monitoring and/or recording the condition of the anatomical site or fluid emitted from the site where the surgical drain is placed. The invention may also include modifications of the surgical drain to improve stabilization or immobilization in the proximity of the anatomical site to be monitored.

Abstract: A micro-injection molded disposable needle assembly having more than one passageway formed therein to permit the simultaneous drawing and administering of fluids through separate passageways is disclosed. The micro-injection molded disposable assembly includes one or more sensors disposed therein for measuring and monitoring one or more desired body or surrounding environmental conditions. A method of forming the disposable needle from an elastomeric material using micro-injection molding is also disclosed.

Abstract: A medical diagnostic apparatus including a catheter and a probe assembly coupled to the catheter and a method involving the use of a catheter and a probe assembly coupled to the catheter. The probe assembly is capable of detecting a chemical analyte. The probe assembly includes a detection probe located within the catheter. The detection probe can be fixedly attached to the catheter or slideable within the catheter.

Abstract: A medical diagnostic apparatus including a catheter and a probe assembly coupled to the catheter and a method involving the use of a catheter and a probe assembly coupled to the catheter. The probe assembly is capable of detecting a chemical analyte. The probe assembly includes a detection probe located within the catheter. The detection probe can be fixedly attached to the catheter or slideable within the catheter.

Abstract: The present invention provides a medical sensor for detecting a blood characteristic. The sensor includes a transducer for producing an analog signal related to the blood characteristic. The analog signal is converted into a transmission signal which is in amplitude-independent form for transmission to a remote analyzer. In one embodiment, a current-to-frequency converter converts a signal from a pulse oximeter sensor into a frequency signal which can be transmitted over a transmission line to a remote pulse oximeter.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the measurement of oxygen, pH and CO.sub.2 in human and animal tissue is provided, in which the compounds preferably include a chromophore and/or fluorphor capable of absorbing an amount of energy and subsequently releasing the energy as phosphorescent and/or fluorescent light, and wherein the phosphorescence is quenched by molecular oxygen according to the Stern-Volmer relationship, CO.sub.2 is measured by fluorphor which alters fluorescence with pH.