MEDICAL INSTRUMENT WITH PROBE AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME

1 . A medical instrument including

a support structure;

a probe attached on said support structure, said probe possessing an outer peripheral surface and adapted to be inserted into an orifice in an animal's body;

a sensor adapted to sense electro-magnetic radiation from a source of said radiation remote from the animal's body, said sensor mounted on said outer peripheral surface of said probe in a position so as to receive said radiation; and

a microprocessor operatively connected to said sensor, said microprocessor configured to monitor the magnitude of said radiation sensed by said sensor and to evaluate the degree of any reduction of said monitored magnitude as an indication of the insertion of said probe into the body orifice.

2 . The medical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said radiation is different from ambient radiation present in the vicinity of said medical instrument.

3 . The medical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said radiation includes ambient radiation in the vicinity of said medical instrument.

4 . The medical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said radiation is outside the visible spectrum.

5 . The medical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said radiation is within the visible spectrum.

6 . The medical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said support structure includes a head section from which said probe projects outwardly and wherein said radiation source is mounted on said head section.

7 . The medical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said support structure includes a head section from which said probe projects outwardly and wherein said radiation source is remote from said head section.

8 . The medical instrument according to claim 1 further including a material adapted to modify the transmission characteristics of said radiation from said remote source prior to being sensed by said sensor, said material adapted to be disposed adjacent to said sensor.

9 . The medical instrument according to claim 8 , wherein said material is adapted to be disposed selectively between said remote source and said sensor.

10 . The medical instrument according to claim 8 wherein said material is adapted to modify said transmission characteristics by blocking a portion, but less than all, of said radiation from said remote source before being sensed by said sensor.

11 . The medical instrument according to claim 10 wherein said material is adapted to modify said transmission characteristics by blocking between 40-60 percent of said radiation from said remote source prior to being sensed by said sensor.

12 . The medical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said probe extends in a longitudinal direction, wherein said sensor extends in a elongate, substantially longitudinal direction along said outer peripheral surface of said probe and whereby when said probe is inserted into the orifice, said radiation is partially blocked by the walls of the orifice from reaching said sensor and as said probe is inserted deeper into the orifice even more of said radiation is blocked by the walls of the orifice from reaching said sensor.

13 . The medical instrument according to claim 12 wherein said microprocessor is configured to calculate a depth of insertion of said probe into the orifice in a substantially linear relationship with the decrease in the magnitude of said radiation sensed by said sensor.

14 . The medical instrument according to claim 13 wherein said microprocessor is further programmed to determine that a pre-determined depth of insertion constitutes a preferred position of said probe, wherein said medical instrument further comprises a signal generator operatively connected to said microprocessor adapted to signal whether the pre-determined depth is attained.

15 . The medical instrument according to claim 3 wherein said probe extends in a longitudinal direction, wherein said sensor extends in a elongate, substantially longitudinal direction along said outer peripheral surface of said probe and whereby when said probe is inserted into the orifice, said radiation is partially blocked by the walls of the orifice from reaching said sensor and as said probe is inserted deeper into the orifice even more of said radiation is blocked by the walls of the orifice from reaching said sensor.

16 . A method of determining the depth of insertion of a probe of a medical instrument into an orifice of a body, comprising:

(a) providing a medical instrument including:

(1) a support structure;

(2) a probe attached to said support structure, said probe possessing an outer peripheral surface and adapted to be inserted into an orifice in an animal's body; and

(3) a sensor adapted to sense electro-magnetic radiation from a source of said radiation remote from the animal's body, said sensor mounted on said outer peripheral surface of said probe in a position so as to receive said radiation;

(b) sensing said radiation from said source with said sensor;

(c) determining the magnitude of said radiation sensed by said sensor;

(d) inserting said probe into the orifice;

(e) monitoring the magnitude of said radiation sensed by said sensor as said probe is inserted into the orifice; and

(f) evaluating whether the degree of any reduction of said monitored magnitude as said probe is inserted into the orifice indicates the extent to which said sensor has passed a wall of the orifice.

17 . The method of determining the depth of insertion of a probe of a medical instrument into an orifice of a body according to claim 16 further comprising:

determining the depth of insertion of said probe into the orifice based upon said evaluation.

18 . The method of determining the depth of insertion of a probe of a medical instrument into an orifice of a body according to claim 16 wherein said radiation includes ambient radiation in the vicinity of said medical instrument.

19 . The method of determining the depth of insertion of a probe of a medical instrument into an orifice of a body according to claim according to claim 18 wherein said probe extends in a longitudinal direction, wherein said sensor extends in a elongate, substantially longitudinal direction along said outer peripheral surface of said probe and whereby when said probe is inserted into the orifice, said radiation is partially blocked by the walls of the orifice from reaching said sensor and as said probe is inserted deeper into the orifice even more of said radiation is blocked by the walls of the orifice from reaching said sensor.

20 . An medical instrument including

a support structure;

a probe attached on said support structure, said probe extending in a longitudinal direction and possessing an outer peripheral surface and adapted to be inserted into an orifice in an animal's body;

a sensor adapted to sense electro-magnetic radiation from a source of said radiation remote from the animal's body, said radiation including ambient radiation within the visible spectrum in the vicinity of said medical instrument, said sensor mounted on said outer peripheral surface of said probe in a position so as to receive said radiation, wherein said sensor extends in a elongate, substantially longitudinal direction along said outer peripheral surface of said probe and whereby when said probe is inserted into the orifice, said radiation is partially blocked by the walls of the orifice from reaching said sensor and as said probe is inserted deeper into the orifice even more of said radiation is blocked by the walls of the orifice from reaching said sensor; and

a microprocessor operatively connected to said sensor, said microprocessor configured to monitor the magnitude of said radiation sensed by said sensor and to evaluate the degree of any reduction of said monitored magnitude as an indication of the insertion of said probe into the orifice.