Nasal septum probe for photoplethysmographic measurements

Claim 1

A probe for releasably attaching to the nasal septum of a patient to perform multi-wavelength photoplethysmographic measurements of the arterial blood flow in said nasal septum, comprising: probe body; first probe arm extending outward from a surface of said probe body and of dimensions to be insertable into a patient's nostril; second probe arm extending outward from said surface of said probe body in a parallel spaced apart relationship with said first probe arm and of dimensions to be insertable into a patient's nostril; first and second support means attached to said probe body for securing said probe in place on said nasal septum, wherein at least one of said first support means and said second support means is hollow and connected at a first end to a one of said first and second probe arms and connectable at a second end thereof to a supply of gas for transporting said gas from said supply to said nasal septum; at least two light sources mounted at the distal end of said first probe arm on an interior surface thereof; light detector mounted at the distal end of said second probe arm on an interior surface thereof; wherein said interior surface of both said first and said second probe arms face each other to place both said at least two light sources and said light detector in contact with said nasal septum on opposite sides thereof at a vascularized site on said nasal septum, when said nasal septum is positioned between said first and said second probe arms, to enable light beams produced by said at least two light sources to pass through said vascularized site on said nasal septum before being received by said light detector to perform photoplethysmographic measurements on the arterial blood flowing through said vascularized site on said nasal septum.