BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is shown in illustrative and schematic manner in the appended drawing.
FIG. 1 is a section through the abdomen and the exploratory testing system of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a topview of the exploratory testing system of FIG. 1, and
FIG. 3 is a topview of another embodiment mode of the exploratory testing system of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a patient's abdomen and abdominal wall 1, said wall being raised into a fold 2 when preparing a puncture site, for instance using an omitted grip element. Abdominal organs 3 not further differentiated in this Figure are situated underneath the abdominal wall.
FIG. 1 shows that by raising the abdominal wall 1 at the fold 2, said wall is lifted off the abdominal organs 3 at that site except for one spot where the abdominal organs 3 are knitted together with the wall 1.
It is assumed that the first step of a laparoscopic surgery shall be a first puncture for the purpose of insufflating with gas the abdominal space between the abdominal wall 1 and the organs 3 and that thereupon instruments shall be inserted through further punctures.
The first puncture is routinely and tentatively set in the direction of the arrow 5. Now, a check must be run to see whether a puncture at that site is harmless or whether other punctures at the sites of arrows 6 or 7 would be more appropriate.
For that purpose a flat pad 8, shown in topview in FIG. 2, is placed at the intended puncture site 5 on the abdominal wall 1. As shown by FIG. 1, the flat pad is made of a resilient material, for instance an elastomeric material or the like. An electrical coil unit is mounted in an electrically insulating manner inside said flat pad and in a simple embodiment consists of a flat coil 9 as shown in FIG. 2. Said flat coil is connected by two conductors 10 to an eddy current detector 11.
The eddy current detector 11 applies an AC of suitable, for instance variable frequency to the flat coil 9. The generated magnetic field generates eddy currents about the axis of the flat coil 9 in the body tissue situated underneath. The inductive feedback affects the current in the coil 9, and this reaction is detected by the eddy current detector and illustratively may be shown on a display (FIG. 1) of the said eddy current detector.
Regarding the illustrative anatomy shown in FIG. 1, different displays shall result as the flat pad 8 moves from the puncture site 5 to the puncture site 6 or the puncture site 7 because the electrical reaction at the site 5 will be much different due to the local knit 4 of abdominal wall and organ(s) than for the puncture sites 6 and 7 which are situated above a cavity underneath the abdominal wall 1. Accordingly, the surgeon is able to determine very rapidly, by moving the flat pad 8 to-and-fro and by noting the particular displays on the eddy current detector 11, where to safely puncture.
FIG. 3 shows a similar flat pad 8′ fitted with cables 10′ connected to an omitted eddy current detector. The flat pad 8′ comprises three triangularly adjoining coils 9.1, 9.2 and 9.3. As indicated in FIG. 3, said coils each are connected by conductors and the cable 10′ to the eddy current detector. When separately analyzing the outputs of the coils 9.1 through 9.3, a suitable puncture site can be determined, or at least a trend indicating, i.e. that a more advantageous site might lie in the direction of the coil 9.3.
The embodiment mode of the flat pad 8 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a coil which is a transmitting and receiving coil. However, two illustratively mutually concentric coils may be used, one acting as a transmitter and the other as a receiver.
Centrally at the axis of the coil 9, FIG. 2 also shows a hole 12 in said sliding element 8. Once a suitable puncture site has been found using the flat pad 8, a marking may be applied through said hole or puncturing may be carried out directly through it.
Patent Application
20070265517
