US5172693A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Prenatal non-invasive detection of meconium stained amniotic fluid
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1990-01-16
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Granted: 1992-12-22
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Expires: 2010-01-16
Abstract
Abstract This invention describes a process for the diagnosis of meconium stained amniotic fluid. Meconium staining is often the result of ongoing or transient fetal distress or prolonged gestation. This process involves the non-invasive illumination of the amnion with light of a specific wavelength and detecting the fluorescence of certain biological pigments contained within the meconium. The process uses a source of light and a means of selecting the desired wavelength of light, directing the light to the target area, retrieving the fluorescence, converting the fluorescent emission to an electrical signal, amplifying the signal and analyzing the signal with a data processing unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael C. Doody
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 11:38
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/0059; A61B5/0082; A61B5/0084; A61B5/0071; A61B5/145; A61B5/14507; A61B5/43; A61B5/4306; A61B5/4343; A61B5/4362
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A process for a non-invasive in vivo detection of a meconium state pregnancy in a gravid female by detection of fluorescent pigments within meconium stained amniotic fluid, said process comprising steps: A. spectrally isolating excitation wavelengths characteristic of said pigments; B. passing said isolated excitation wavelengths into said amniotic fluid for exciting said fluorescent pigments contained within said meconium; C. detecting fluorescence emitted by said excited pigments contained within said meconium; D. spectrally isolating emission wavelengths characteristic of the fluorescence emitted by said pigments contained in the meconium and E. amplifying and analyzing spectra of said detected fluorescence.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
A process for a non-invasive in vivo detection of a meconium state pregnancy in a gravid female by detection of fluorescent pigments within meconium stained amniotic fluid, said process comprising steps: A. spectrally isolating excitation wavelengths characteristic of said pigments; B. passing said isolated excitation wavelengths into said amniotic fluid for exciting said fluorescent pigments contained within said meconium; C. detecting fluorescence emitted by said excited pigments contained within said meconium; D. spectrally isolating emission wavelengths characteristic of the fluorescence emitted by said pigments contained in the meconium and E. amplifying and analyzing spectra of said detected fluorescence.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said excitation wavelengths are passed into said amniotic fluid transcutaneously.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said excitation wavelengths are passed into said amniotic fluid transabdominally.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said excitation wavelengths are passed into said amniotic fluid transvaginally.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said excitation wavelengths are passed into said amniotic fluid transcervically.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said excitation wavelengths are passed into said amniotic fluid transamniotically.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said excitation wavelength is in a range of about 300 to about 525 nm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said excitation wavelength is spectrally isolated by means of a monochromatic laser.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said emission wavelength is in a range of about 460 to about 610 nm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
134 words
A process for a non-invasive in vivo detection of a meconium state pregnancy in a gravid female by detection of bilirubin and its metabolites within meconium stained amniotic fluid, said process comprising steps: A. spectrally isolating excitation wavelengths characteristic of said bilirubin in a range of about 300 to about 525 nm by means of a monochromatic argon laser; B. passing said isolated excitation wavelengths transcervically into said amniotic fluid for exciting fluorescent pigments contained within said bilirubin by said meconium; C. detecting fluorescence emitted by said excited pigments contained within said meconium; spectrally isolating emission wavelengths in a range of about 460 to about 610 nm characteristic of said fluorescence emitted by said bilirubin contained in said meconium by means of a filter and E. amplifying and analyzing spectra of said detected fluorescence.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
134 words
A process for a non-invasive in vivo detection of a meconium state pregnancy in a gravid female by detection of bilirubin and its metabolites within meconium stained amniotic fluid, said process comprising steps: A. spectrally isolating excitation wavelengths characteristic of said bilirubin in a range of about 300 to about 525 nm by means of a monochromatic argon laser; B. passing said isolated excitation wavelengths transcervically into said amniotic fluid for exciting fluorescent pigments contained within said bilirubin by said meconium; C. detecting fluorescence emitted by said excited pigments contained within said meconium; spectrally isolating emission wavelengths in a range of about 460 to about 610 nm characteristic of said fluorescence emitted by said bilirubin contained in said meconium by means of a filter and E. amplifying and analyzing spectra of said detected fluorescence.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 10 wherein said excitation wavelengths are passed into said amniotic fluid transcutaneously.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 10 wherein said excitation wavelengths are passed into said amniotic fluid transabdominally.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 10 wherein said excitation wavelengths are passed into said amniotic fluid transvaginally.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 10 wherein said excitation wavelengths are passed into said amniotic fluid transamniotically.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
99 words
A process utilizing fluorescent spectroscopy for non-invasively detecting a prenatal meconium state pregnancy in the gravid female by in vivo detection of fluorescent pigments in amniotic fluid wherein said pigments are bilirubin and its metabolites, said process comprising steps: A. illuminating amniotic fluid with monochromatic light at a wavelength required for excitation of said fluorescent pigments contained within meconium thereby causing said pigments to fluoresce and emit photons; B. detecting said emitted photons emitted by said excited pigments contained within said meconium thereby generating a signal representative of said emitted photons; and C. amplifying and analyzing said generated signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
99 words
A process utilizing fluorescent spectroscopy for non-invasively detecting a prenatal meconium state pregnancy in the gravid female by in vivo detection of fluorescent pigments in amniotic fluid wherein said pigments are bilirubin and its metabolites, said process comprising steps: A. illuminating amniotic fluid with monochromatic light at a wavelength required for excitation of said fluorescent pigments contained within meconium thereby causing said pigments to fluoresce and emit photons; B. detecting said emitted photons emitted by said excited pigments contained within said meconium thereby generating a signal representative of said emitted photons; and C. amplifying and analyzing said generated signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said light is passed into said amniotic fluid transcutaneously.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said light is passed into said amniotic fluid transabdominally.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said light is passed into said amniotic fluid transvaginally.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said light is passed into said amniotic fluid transcervically.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said light is passed into said amniotic fluid transamniotically.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said wavelength required for excitation of said fluorescent pigments is in a range of about 300 to about 525 nm.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said emitted photons has a wavelength in a range of about 460 to about 620 nm characteristic of fluorescence emitted by said bilirubin.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said monochromatic light is an argon laser.
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