Medical Surgical Navigation Sensor Mounting System

Abstract

An engagement system for a surgical sensor assembly, formed of a sensing component in a fixed position and a lead wire in an electrical communication therewith. The engagement system employs a jacket of heat shrink polymeric material to hold the sensing component to the lead wire and eliminates the employment of soldering and welding and crimping which can damage such sensing components. The system is employed in combination with catheters having a lumen for control wires for surgical instruments.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for engaging a sensing component in a fixed position in an electric communication with a lead wire, to form an assembly, comprising the steps of:
 positioning said lead wire and said sensing component in said electrical communication, within an axial passage defined by a sidewall of surrounding heat-shrinking material;   heating said heat-shrinking material to cause a shrinking thereof to form a contact along exterior surfaces of both said sensing component and said lead wire; and   allowing said polymeric material to cool to form said assembly with said sensing component held in an operative electric communication with said lead wire, whereby said assembly is formed and said sensing component held engaged in said electric communication with said lead wire, without a welding or soldering of said sensing component to said lead wire.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising:
 employing a polymeric material formed of one or a combination of a group of polymeric materials including, polyester, polyolefin, flouropolymers, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride and polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, PVC, neoprene, and silicone elastomer, as said heat-shrinking material.   
     
     
         3 . A method for engaging a sensing component in a fixed position in an electric communication with a lead wire, to form an assembly, comprising the steps of:
 positioning said lead wire and said sensing component in said electrical communication with one end thereof, within an axial passage defined by a first lumen of a multi lumen catheter;   positioning a first seal at a distal end of said first lumen and a second seal at a proximal end of said first lumen to define a distance of said first lumen slightly less than an aggregate length of said assembly formed by an said sensing component in operative electrical communication with said lead wire, to thereby form biasing contact of said sensing component against said distal end of said lead wire from respective contacts with said first and said second seals, to hold said sensing component in said operative electrical communication with said lead wire.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising:
 employing heat-shrink tubing as said heat shrinking material; and   allowing a compressive said contact to form against said exterior surfaces.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , additionally comprising:
 employing heat-shrink tubing as said heat shrinking material; and   allowing a compressive said contact to form against said exterior surfaces.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising:
 employing heat-shrink tubing as said heat-shrinking material; and   positioning a thermoplastic adhesive upon said sidewall;   upon said heating allowing said sidewall and said thermoplastic adhesive to form said contact with said respective exterior surfaces of said sensing component and said lead wire; and   allowing said heat-shrink tubing to cool and said adhesive to cure to form a compressive and adhesive said contact against said respective exterior surfaces of said lead wire and sensing component.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , additionally comprising:
 employing heat-shrink tubing as said heat-shrinking material; and   positioning a thermoplastic adhesive upon said sidewall;   upon said heating allowing said sidewall and said thermoplastic adhesive to form said contact with said respective exterior surfaces of said sensing component and said lead wire; and   allowing said heat-shrink tubing to cool and said adhesive to cure to form a compressive and adhesive said contact against said respective exterior surfaces of said lead wire and sensing component.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising:
 positioning said assembly adjacent a side surface of a catheter having at least one lumen therein for translation and operation of a control wire for a surgical instrument; and   prior to heating said heat-shrink material, positioning said catheter and said assembly within said axial passage of said jacket of heat-shrink material, and   upon said heating of said heat-shrink material, allowing said jacket to form an engagement of said assembly, said catheter.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , additionally comprising:
 positioning said assembly adjacent a side surface of a catheter having at least one lumen therein for translation and operation of a control wire for a surgical instrument; and   prior to heating said heat-shrink material, positioning said catheter and said assembly within said axial passage of said jacket of heat-shrink material, and   upon said heating of said heat-shrink material, allowing said jacket to form an engagement of said assembly, said catheter.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , additionally comprising:
 positioning said assembly adjacent a side surface of a catheter having at least one lumen therein for translation and operation of a control wire for a surgical instrument; and   prior to heating said heat-shrink material, positioning said catheter and said assembly within said axial passage of said jacket of heat-shrink material, and   upon said heating of said heat-shrink material, allowing said jacket to form an engagement of said assembly, said catheter.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , additionally comprising:
 positioning said assembly adjacent a side surface of a catheter having at least one lumen therein for translation and operation of a control wire for a surgical instrument; and   prior to heating said heat-shrink material, positioning said catheter and said assembly within said axial passage of said jacket of heat-shrink material, and   upon said heating of said heat-shrink material, allowing said jacket to form an engagement of said assembly, said catheter.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , additionally comprising:
 positioning said assembly adjacent a side surface of a catheter having at least one lumen therein for translation and operation of a control wire for a surgical instrument; and   prior to heating said heat-shrink material, positioning said catheter and said assembly within said axial passage of said jacket of heat-shrink material, and   upon said heating of said heat-shrink material, allowing said jacket to form an engagement of said assembly, said catheter.   
     
     
         13 . A method for engaging a sensing component in a fixed position in an electric communication with a lead wire, to form an assembly, comprising the steps of
 positioning a lead wire within a recess formed in an exterior of a catheter having at least on lumen therein;   positioning a sensing component within said recess in an electric communication with one end of said lead wire to form said assembly therein;   positioning said assembly and said catheter, within an axial passage of a jacket of said heat-shrink material; and   heating said jacket of said heat-shrink material to collapse said axial passage thereof and cause a compressive contact of said second jacket of heat-shrink material around said catheter to thereby form a wall for maintaining said assembly within said recess.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 4 , additionally comprising:
 positioning said assembly within a recess formed in an exterior surface of a catheter having at least one lumen therein;   positioning said catheter with said assembly within said recess, within an axial passage of a second said jacket of said heat-shrink material; and   heating said second said jacket of said heat-shrink material to collapse said axial passage thereof and cause a compressive contact of said second jacket of heat-shrink material around said catheter thereby forming a wall to maintain said assembly within said recess.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 5 , additionally comprising:
 positioning said assembly within a recess formed in an exterior surface of a catheter having at least one lumen therein;   positioning said catheter with said assembly within said recess, within an axial passage of a second said jacket of said heat-shrink material; and   heating said second said jacket of said heat-shrink material to collapse said axial passage thereof and cause a compressive contact of said second jacket of heat-shrink material around said catheter thereby forming a wall to maintain said assembly within said recess.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 6 , additionally comprising:
 positioning said assembly within a recess formed in an exterior surface of a catheter having at least one lumen therein;   positioning said catheter with said assembly within said recess, within an axial passage of a second said jacket of said heat-shrink material; and   heating said second said jacket of said heat-shrink material to collapse said axial passage thereof and cause a compressive contact of said second jacket of heat-shrink material around said catheter thereby forming a wall to maintain said assembly within said recess.   
     
     
         17 . The engagement system of  claim 7 , additionally comprising:
 positioning said assembly within a recess formed in an exterior surface of a catheter having at least one lumen therein;   positioning said catheter with said assembly within said recess, within an axial passage of a second said jacket of said heat-shrink material; and   heating said second said jacket of said heat-shrink material to collapse said axial passage thereof and cause a compressive contact of said second jacket of heat-shrink material around said catheter thereby forming a wall to maintain said assembly within said recess.   
     
     
         18 . The engagement system of  claim 1 , additionally comprising:
 positioning said assembly within a recess formed in an exterior surface of a catheter having at least one lumen therein sized for translation of a control wire;   positioning said assembly and said catheter, within an axial passage of a second said jacket of said heat-shrink material;   positioning an insulating layer between said assembly and said lumen sized for translation of said control wire; and   heating said second said jacket of said heat-shrink material to collapse said axial passage thereof and cause a compressive contact of said second jacket of heat-shrink material to form a wall to maintain said assembly in said recess.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 4 , additionally comprising:
 positioning said assembly within a recess formed in an exterior surface of a catheter having at least one lumen therein sized for translation of a control wire;   positioning said assembly and said catheter, within an axial passage of a second said jacket of said heat-shrink material;   positioning an insulating layer between said assembly and said lumen of said catheter sized for translation of said control wire; and   heating said second said jacket of said heat-shrink material to collapse said axial passage thereof and cause a compressive contact of said second jacket of heat-shrink material to form a wall to maintain said assembly in said recess.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 4 , additionally comprising:
 positioning said assembly within a recess formed in sidewall defining a lumen of a catheter adapted for translation of a control wire therethrough;   and   employing heat or adhesive as a means for fixing said assembly in a mounted position within said recess.