Method and apparatus for determining a blood flow during a vascular access dysfunction corrective procedure

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining an angioplasty induced blood flow changes, wherein the apparatus includes the catheter having a port for introducing a blood property change in a downstream sensor. The downstream sensor and the catheter are configured to space the sensor from an adjacent vessel wall so as to minimize effects of the vessel wall during sensing of the blood property change.

1 . An apparatus for determining a blood flow in a vessel, comprising: 
 (a) an elongate catheter having an angioplasty balloon, a blood property change port and a downstream sensor spaced from the port for producing a signal corresponding to a blood property.    
   
   
       2 . A method of monitoring blood flow during angioplasty, comprising: 
 (a) inserting an angioplasty catheter into a vessel;    (b) expanding the angioplasty catheter;    (c) introducing a first blood property change;    (d) detecting passage of the first blood property change past a downstream sensor on the catheter; and    (e) calculating the blood flow in response to the change in blood property and passage of the blood property past the downstream sensor.