Fiber Optic Medical Vessel Identification With Multimodal Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a risk of inserting medical devices into the wrong blood vessel, such as an artery versus a vein, which can pose a risk to the patient.
Innovation Solution
A medical system using an optical fiber with core fibers and a console that projects light, receives reflected light signals, and determines whether the blood vessel is a vein or an artery based on wavelength shifts, fluctuating movement, compressive strain, pressure fluctuations, or temperature differences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visual inspection alone is used to identify blood vessels, then the procedure is simple and quick, but the accuracy of vessel identification is insufficient leading to potential wrong insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection with optical sensing technology. The optical fiber sensor detects physical characteristics of blood vessels (such as wall compliance, pulsation, or structural features) and converts them into electrical signals for automated analysis, thereby substituting mechanical/visual methods with optical-electronic detection to improve identification accuracy while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary optical fiber sensing system between the physician and the blood vessel. This intermediary device acts as a mediator that collects, processes, and presents vessel identification data, enabling accurate differentiation between arteries and veins without requiring the physician to directly interpret complex visual information
2Reliability
If multiple sensing modalities are integrated to improve vessel identification reliability, then the reliability of vessel identification is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing modalities (optical sensing, mechanical sensing, temperature sensing, or pressure sensing) into a single integrated optical fiber probe. By merging these different sensing capabilities into one unified device, the system achieves high reliability in vessel identification while minimizing the complexity that would arise from using separate devices for each sensing function
Solution Approach 2:
The optical fiber sensor is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both a structural support element and a multi-modal sensing platform. This universal component performs multiple sensing functions simultaneously, reducing the need for separate specialized devices and thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Accurately identifies blood vessels as veins or arteries, reducing the risk of incorrect insertion and ensuring safe medical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
extracting from the reflected light signal a present wavelength shift between the first wavelength and the second wavelength; comparing the present wavelength shift with one or more wavelength shift limits stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium; and determining, as result of the comparison, that the blood vessel is a vein or is an artery
Implementation Method 2
receiving at least one reflected light signal from the optical fiber; extracting from the at least one reflected light signal present fluctuating movement data
Implementation Method 3
the state of the optical fiber includes a compressive strain of the optical fiber caused by engagement of the optical fiber with one or more check valves of the blood vessel during insertion of the optical fiber
Implementation Method 4
the state of the optical fiber includes pressure fluctuations exerted on the optical fiber; extracting from the at least one reflected light signal present pressure fluctuation data
Implementation Method 5
a first temperature experienced by a first section of the optical fiber disposed within the catheter and a second temperature experienced by a second section of the optical fiber extending distally beyond a distal end of the catheter
Data Source
AI summary
Medical systems, devices, and methods for determining whether a blood vessel is a vein or an artery. The system includes an optical fiber configured for insertion into a blood vessel coupled with a console having a light source, an optical receiver, processors, and logic stored in memory. The optical fiber includes sensors disposed along its length configured to determine a state or condition of the optical fiber. The state or condition can include a strain, movement, pressure, and/or temperature. The logic is configured to analyze reflected signals from the sensors to determine whether the optical fiber is inserted within an artery or within a vein. The logic may also determine a red-blue shift of a projected light to determine a blood flow direction with respect to the optical fiber.