Patent ID: 7186222
Filing Date: 2007-03-06
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M

Abstract:
1. An introducer sheath/temperature probe assembly comprising: a tubular introducer sheath having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen which extends longitudinally therethrough, said introducer sheath being insertable into a blood vessel; an elongate temperature probe having a temperature sensor, a distal end and a proximal end, said temperature probe being insertable, distal end first, into the lumen of the introducer sheath and useable, when inserted into the lumen of the introducer sheath, to sense the temperature of blood flowing through the blood vessel into which the introducer sheath is inserted; and a tip member disposed on the distal end of the temperature probe such that the tip member protrudes beyond the distal end of the introducer sheath when the temperature probe is inserted into the lumen of the introducer sheath, said tip member being constructed so as not to cause substantial trauma to the wall of the blood vessel as the introducer sheath/temperature probe assembly is inserted into the blood vessel; said temperature sensor being located within said elongate temperature probe proximal of said tip member so that said tip member may extend substantially out of the distal end of said introducer sheath while said temperature sensor resides within said lumen of said introducer sheath; wherein said tubular introducer sheath has a proximal opening diameter on said proximal end, said temperature probe has a distal length having a first diameter and a proximal length having a second diameter, said first diameter smaller than said opening diameter and said second diameter larger than said opening diameter, and the length of the probe distal of said second diameter up to said sensor is less than the length of the lumen of said introducer sheath, and the length of said distal portion of said probe between said second diameter and the distal tip of said distal tip member is sized such that when said temperature probe is inserted through said proximal opening the portion of the temperature probe of said first diameter is inserted into the lumen of said introducer sheath but the portion of said probe having said second diameter will be blocked from entering said proximal opening, and when fully inserted into said introducer, said tip member will extend beyond the distal end of the introducer sheath but the sensor will remain within the lumen of said introducer sheath.