Light-guided transluminal catheter

Abstract

Generally, the present invention is directed to a light-guided catheter for direct visualization of placement through the skin. An embodiment of the invention includes a method for transcutaneous viewing and guiding of intracorporeal catheters into a body that comprises inserting a catheter into the body having at least one lumen and internally illuminating the catheter with light capable of propagating through the blood and tissue to an external viewer outside of the body.

1 . A method for transcutaneous viewing and guiding of intracorporeal catheters into a body, comprising the steps of:
 a) inserting a catheter having at least one lumen, into the body ; and   b) illuminating said catheter along at least a portion of its lateral surface length with a signal which would be capable of propagating through blood and tissue to an external viewer or detector outside of the body, so that the viewer can detect at least a partial length of the catheter within the body.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of inserting into the lumen a source of visible illumination capable of propagating through blood and tissue to an external viewer or detector outside of the body. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said internally illuminated catheter emits light of first color and further includes the step of inserting into the lumen a second source of illumination of a second color different from said first color, both of said colors being capable of propagating through blood and tissue to an external viewer outside of the body, whereby the location of each illumination source can be discerned from outside the body. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the catheter is made of a material opaque to visible light and the light emitting device extends beyond the distal end of the catheter. 
     
     
         5 . A method of locating non-visible intracorporeal/blood vessels for catheterization comprising the steps of;
 a. illuminating candidate locations with light capable of inducing fluorescence from blood constituents; and   b. detecting responsive fluorescent response from said blood constituents; and   c. selecting potential site for catheterization based upon detection of a predetermined fluorescent signal.   
     
     
         6 . A transcutaneously viewable catheter comprising;
 a. a tubular member having an insertable end and a first channel along the length of said catheter;   b. a removable illumination source in said channel having at least an illuminated end, said source being configured to be extendible through said channel and beyond said end so that when said source is inserted into the channel, the illumination is visible outside the body, and the end thereof can be visually located.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said tubular member is substantially opaque to light from the illumination source; so that when said removable source is extended beyond end of the member, the illumination is visible outside the body. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said tubular member is partially transparent to light emitted by said illumination source; so that when said illumination source reaches the end of tubular member, an observer can detect the difference in level, pattern, or wavelength of light transmission as the illumination source exits the tubular member. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said illumination source is leaky and emits light along at least a portion of its length. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said illumination source emits light of a different intensity, pattern, or wavelength at its end than elsewhere therealong, so that it is possible to easily discern its path and end from outside the body. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for locating substantially non-visible intracorporeal/blood vessels for catheterization comprising;
 a) a tubular member having an insertable end and a channel along the length thereof;   b) a removable illumination source insertable in said channel having an illuminated end configured to be extendible through said channel;   c) an illumination source capable of emitting light of a predetermined optical wavelengths to excite fluorescence from blood constituents;   d) an optical channel to receive fluorescence from blood constituents; and   e) an optical detector coupled to the optical channel to measure fluorescence from blood constituents.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the illumination source comprises a low-loss fiber optic conductor. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the illumination source comprises a light emitting diode emitting at least visible light. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the optical channel simultaneously delivers the illumination energy to excite fluorescence and receives fluorescence from blood constituents. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the optical components include a separator to separate illumination and fluorescence signals prior to the optical detector. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the separator is a dichroic mirror. 
     
     
         17 . A transcutaneously viewable or detectable catheter comprising;
 a. a tubular member having an insertable end   b. a first channel along the length of said catheter   c. a first fiber optic having an end and being formed within said tubular member and running substantially the length thereof; at least a portion of said optic being leaky; and   d. a first illumination source being connectable to said first optic to provide illumination at least along a portion of the length of the catheter with a first predetermined color of light; and so that the illumination is visible outside the body.   
     
     
         18 . The catheter of  claim 17  further including second fiber optic having an end and being insertable through said first channel and being likewise attachable to a source of illumination, said second optic being illuminated with a color distinguishable from the first color which said first optic is illuminated, so that the location of the end of said second optic can be distinguished from said first optic. 
     
     
         19 . The catheter of  claim 18  wherein said second optic is only leaky in a region extending from its end and a portion extending therefrom. 
     
     
         20 . The catheter of  claim 17  further including a second fiber optic having an end and being formed within said tubular member and running substantially the length thereof; at least a portion of said optic being leaky proximate its end and a portion extending therefrom; and
 a second illumination source being connectable to said second optic to provide illumination to said leaky portion, said second source providing a illumination color different from said the color of said first source; whereby the end of said second optic can be visually distinguished from said first optic. 
 
     
     
         21 . The catheter of  claim 17  further including an elongated radio opaque element having an end and being insertable through said first channel; so that the location of the end of said elongated element can be distinguished from said first optic and detected from outside the body. 
     
     
         22 . The catheter of  claim 21  wherein said element includes a second fiber optic along at least a portion of the element; so that the location of said element can be detected either visually or by radio detection.