Granted Patent B2

US 12,635,951 · App. 18/454,917 · Granted May 26, 2026

Inventor: Guy Russell Lowery (San Juan Capistrano, CA)

Assignee: Covidien LP

A61B5/6853A61B5/02A61B5/02444A61B5/285A61B5/287A61B5/6819A61B5/6858A61M16/0434A61B2017/00044A61B2562/0209A61B2562/125A61M2230/04H05K3/14

Abstract

Claims (50)

1 . A method for obtaining signals related to electrical activity of a heart of a subject comprising:

providing a sensing device comprising:

an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end configured for placement within a body lumen of a subject, the proximal end configured to extend from the subject;

an actuation portion carried by the elongate member and configured for placement within the body lumen of the subject, the actuation portion having a low-profile state for delivery within the body lumen of the subject and an expanded state; and

a plurality of sensors disposed on the actuation portion, each of the sensors including a contact surface configured to contact an interior wall of the body lumen, wherein the actuation portion is configured to cause the contact surface of each of the sensors to contact a location on the interior wall of the body lumen to provide a signal component for producing one or more electrocardiogram signals;

providing at least one auxiliary sensor, separate from the sensing device, having a contact surface configured to couple to a mucosal portion of the subject remote from the interior of the body lumen;

providing at least one external sensor configured to be coupled to skin with coupling gel or coupling liquid;

inserting the sensing device in or near its low-profile state into a body cavity or body lumen of a subject;

causing the actuation portion of the sensing device to move from its low-profile state towards its expanded state such that the electrodes contact an interior surface of the body cavity or body lumen of the subject;

coupling the contact surface of the at least one auxiliary sensor to mucosa of the subject;

coupling an electrode of the at least one external sensor to a portion of the skin of the subject; and

obtaining one or more electrocardiogram signals from each of the sensing device, the at least one auxiliary sensor, and the at least one external sensor.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

subsequently causing the actuation portion of the sensing device to move towards its low-profile state; and

removing the sensing device from the subject.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of causing the actuation portion of the sensing device causes the electrodes to contact an interior surface of a trachea of the subject.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of causing the actuation portion of the sensing device causes the electrodes to contact an interior surface of a bronchus of the subject.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of coupling the contact surface of the at least one auxiliary sensor to the mucosa of the subject causes the contact surface to contact at least one of a tongue, a soft palate, a nostril, a nasal passage, a cheek, an anus, or a urethra of the subject.

6 . An apparatus for applying a tracing to an inflatable device, comprising:

a body having a cavity extending longitudinally within and a wall;

a plurality of separate, longitudinally extending openings in the wall and opening into the cavity, such that an inflatable device placed within the cavity is partially covered by the wall and partially uncovered by the openings; and

wherein the openings are configured to allow an application of a material to a portion of the inflatable device that is uncovered while blocking an application of the material to a portion of the inflatable device that is covered by the wall, wherein the material is configured to be applied in a flowable state and changeable to a non-flowable or substantially non-flowable state, wherein the openings comprise:

a first opening having a first conductor portion and a first electrode portion, wherein the first electrode portion has a transverse width greater than a transverse width of the first conductor portion; and

a second opening having a second conductor portion and a second electrode portion, wherein the second electrode portion is positioned distally from the first electrode portion.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the body has a first portion that is separable from a second portion, wherein the first opening is positioned on the first portion and the second opening is positioned on the second portion.

8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the material is a resistive material.

9 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the material is configured to be applied by at least one of the following: spraying, atomizing, sputtering, or vapor deposition.

10 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the material is a radiopaque material.

11 . An apparatus for applying a tracing to an inflatable device, comprising:

a first body portion, the first body portion defining one or more openings configured to allow application of a conductive material to a portion of the inflatable device, the openings comprising:

a first opening defining a first conductor portion and a first electrode portion, wherein the first electrode portion has a transverse width greater than a transverse width of the first conductor portion

a second body portion, wherein the second body portion is connectable to the first body portion in a clamshell manner, the second body portion defining one or more openings configured to allow application of the conductive material to another portion of the inflatable device, the openings comprising:

a second opening defining a second conductor portion and a second electrode portion, wherein the second electrode portion has a transverse width greater than a transverse width of the second conductor portion.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second electrode portion is positioned distally from the first electrode portion.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:

the first conductor portion extends linearly in a proximal direction from the first electrode portion; and

the second conductor portion extends linearly in a proximal direction from the second electrode portion.

14 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein, when the first body portion is connected to the second body portion, a cavity is formed having a first diameter and a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is greater than the first diameter and is configured to closely fit to an inflatable portion of the inflatable device.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:

the first electrode portion is positioned on the first body portion at a position having the second diameter; and

the second electrode portion is positioned on the second body portion at a position having the second diameter.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:

the first conductor portion extends along the first body portion through a position having the first diameter and a position having the second diameter; and

the second conductor portion extends along the second body portion through a position having the first diameter and a position having the second diameter.

17 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:

the first body portion further defines a third opening defining a third conductor portion and a third electrode portion; and

the second body portion further defines a fourth opening defining a fourth conductor portion and a fourth electrode portion.

18 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the material is a radiopaque material.

19 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the material is configured to be applied by at least one of the following: spraying, atomizing, sputtering, or vapor deposition.

20 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the material is conductive ink.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (6)

References Cited (116)