Patent ID: 6290650
Filing Date: 2001-09-18
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A system for continuously monitoring a patient's arterial blood pressure, comprising:a sensor having a continuous stress sensitive diaphragm that is adapted to be deformed responsive to stress within tissue adjacent a preselected artery of the patient, the sensor having a radiation source separate from the continuous diaphragm, the source irradiating the diaphragm with electromagnetic radiation, and also having an electromagnetic radiation receiver mounted adjacent and separated from the diaphragm such that the receiver receives electromagnetic radiation reflected from the diaphragm, the sensor sensing deformations from selected portions along said diaphragm from the reflected electromagnetic radiation and produces a vessel stress signal representing the deformation along each selected portion of said diaphragm;a mounting apparatus for placing said sensor in a relatively fixed location relative to a preselected portion of the patient's anatomy associated with the preselected artery, the mounting apparatus including:a base portion configured to be mounted on said preselected portion of the patient's anatomy,a sensor platform movably engaged to the base portion, the sensor platform including a sensor housing, anda quick disconnector connecting said sensor platform to said base portion, whereby said disconnector allows said sensor platform and said sensor to be quickly removed from said base portion; andmeans for adjustably moving said sensor relative to the tissue adjacent the artery of interest, whereby said sensor is placed inoperative engagement with the tissue adjacent the preselected artery for determining the blood pressure within the preselected artery.