Optical fiber pressure sensor guidewire

Abstract

In an example, this document discloses an apparatus for insertion into a body lumen, the apparatus comprising an optical fiber pressure sensor. The optical fiber pressure sensor comprises an optical fiber configured to transmit an optical sensing signal, a temperature compensated Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) interferometer in optical communication with the optical fiber, the FBG interferometer configured to receive a pressure and modulate, in response to the received pressure, the optical sensing signal, and a sensor membrane in physical communication with the FBG interferometer, the membrane configured to transmit the received pressure to the FBG interferometer.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An apparatus for insertion into a body lumen, the apparatus comprising:
 an optical fiber pressure sensor including:   a first optical fiber anchor, to which a first portion of an optical fiber is secured;   a second optical fiber anchor, to which a second portion of the optical fiber is secured; and   a gasket longitudinally arranged between the first and second anchors and including a passage through which a third portion of the optical fiber passes, the gasket being more elastic or compliant than the first and second anchors,   wherein the first and second anchors and the gasket are arranged to use the elastic or compliant nature of the gasket to allow at least one of longitudinal stretching or compression of the optical fiber between the first and second anchors to sense pressure at an internal location within a human body.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , comprising:
 the optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber is configured to communicate light between a location outside of the human body and a portion of the optical fiber that is to be located at or near the internal location within the human body at which a pressure is to be measured, wherein the optical fiber pressure sensor is coupled to the optical fiber.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , comprising:
 a guidewire including a solid core wire having an outer surface, a portion of the outer surface comprising a groove directly on the outer surface of the guidewire.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the optical fiber is positioned within the groove and extends longitudinally along the guidewire. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the optical fiber extends within the groove helically along at least a portion of a length of the core wire. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the optical fiber pressure sensor is configured to be located on the guidewire to allow positioning at or near the internal location within the human body at which pressure is to be measured. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , comprising:
 an imaging sensor configured to be located on the guidewire and configured to image a region at or near the internal location within the human body and to detect a responsive imaging signal for communication via the guidewire to the location outside of the human body for processing into an image of the region.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the imaging sensor includes:
 an optical fiber ribbon having a plurality of optical fibers disposed about the core wire of the guidewire; and   a plurality of imaging gratings to couple light into and/or out of one or more respective optical fibers of the optical fiber ribbon.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the groove is sized for and carries only one optical fiber, and wherein the only one optical fiber has a diameter of between 25 micrometers and 30 micrometers, inclusive. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the optical fiber pressure sensor comprises a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) interferometer. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the FBG interferometer comprises at least two Fiber Bragg Gratings, wherein the at least two Fiber Bragg Gratings are arranged or otherwise configured to permit optically discriminating, at or near the internal location within the human body at which pressure is to be measured, between a change in pressure and a change in temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the optical fiber pressure sensor is a first optical fiber pressure sensor, the apparatus of  claim 2  comprising:
 a second optical fiber pressure sensor, wherein the first and second optical fiber pressure sensors are configured to operate at different wavelengths. 
 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a guidewire; and   an optical fiber ribbon comprising a plurality of optical fibers, the optical fiber ribbon disposed about an outer surface of the guidewire.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising a plurality of imaging gratings configured to couple light into or out of one or more respective optical fibers of the optical fiber ribbon. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the optical fiber is arranged under longitudinal tension between the first and second anchors. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for insertion into a body lumen, the apparatus comprising:
 a guidewire including a solid core wire having an outer surface, a portion of the outer surface comprising a groove directly on the outer surface of the guidewire, at least a portion of the guidewire being sized, shaped, or otherwise configured to be inserted into a human body;   an optical fiber configured to communicate light between a location outside of the human body and a portion of the optical fiber that is to be located at or near an internal location within the human body at which a pressure is to be measured; and   an optical fiber pressure sensor coupled to the optical fiber, the optical fiber pressure sensor including:
 a first optical fiber anchor, to which a first portion of an optical fiber is secured; 
 a second optical fiber anchor, to which a second portion of the optical fiber is secured; and 
 a gasket longitudinally arranged between the first and second anchors and including a passage through which a third portion of the optical fiber passes, the gasket being more elastic or compliant than the first and second anchors, 
 wherein the first and second anchors and the gasket are arranged to use the elastic or compliant nature of the gasket to allow at least one of longitudinal stretching or compression of the optical fiber between the first and second anchors to sense pressure at the internal location within the human body. 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the optical fiber is positioned within the groove and extends longitudinally along the guidewire. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the optical fiber extends within the groove helically along at least a portion of a length of the core wire. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , comprising:
 a coil disposed about at least a portion of the guidewire.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the optical fiber is a first optical fiber having a proximal end connector, the proximal end connector configured to be coupled to a proximal end of the guidewire, the proximal end connector comprising:
 a distal portion comprising:
 a tube defining an interior first passage that is sized and shaped to receive the proximal end of the guidewire; 
 a distal guide ferrule, at least a portion of which defines a transitional interior second passage that is sized and shaped to allow the optical fiber to be transitionally routed from an outer circumferential periphery of the proximal end of the guidewire to a more longitudinally central location toward a proximal end of the distal guide ferrule; and 
   a proximal portion comprising:
 a proximal guide ferrule, including a lumen sized and shaped for passing a second optical fiber having a larger diameter than the first optical fiber, 
 wherein the distal and proximal portions are user-attachable to bring the first and second optical fibers into concentric longitudinal alignment with each other. 
   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , comprising:
 an imaging sensor configured to be located on the guidewire and configured to image a region at or near the internal location within the human body and to detect a responsive imaging signal for communication via the guidewire to the location outside of the human body for processing into an image of the region.