The lower gastrointestinal tract has been referred to as the ‘Dark Continent’ of the human body because it is so hard to access without resorting to a surgeon’s blade. In response to an unmet clinical need we have developed a fibre optic manometry catheter that is now in clinical use across Australia and New Zealand. The unparalleled detail of colonic activity that these devices provide is being hailed as ground breaking by global experts. In this paper we present the design and clinical application of the catheters, and also some of the (sometimes surprising) requirements of our clinical colleagues.
A miniature FBG pressure sensor is reported. Two optical fibers containing FBG arrays are twisted together and the
sensing elements are enclosed in a specially designed structure to detect variations in the ambient pressure. It provides an
overall diameter of ~1 mm which is extremely beneficial for the studies of peristalsis in the gastrointestinal tract and
flow in the vascular system. The static and dynamic responses of the miniature catheter were calibrated and the results
are presented.
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