Intraoperative temperature probe

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG.
1 of the drawings, a temperature probe in accordance with the present invention is illustrated and designated generally by the numeral 10.
This probe is constructed of a flexible plastic and comprises an elongated needle member 12 having a distal end 14 defined by a penetrating point for insertion into the tissue of an animal organ.
The penetrating end or point 14 preferably has a generally wedge shape, such as formed by a bevel cut across the end thereof.
This provides a tip that along with the flexibility of the needle shank can slip between muscle fibers rather than cut through them.
The needle also includes a rounded or somewhat semi-spherical button shaped head 16 on the proximal end of the needle.
This head facilitates the insertion of the probe into the tissue and the removal thereof.
The probe as illustrated in FIG.
2 is preferably provided with one or more sensing elements 18, 20 and 22 which are disposed at selected positions along the length of the needle.
These are positioned with sensor 18 at the tip for determining or sensing the temperature at a selected depth internally of the organ.
Sensor 22 senses and determines the surface temperature, and sensor 20 determines an intermediate temperature.
One, and as many as three sensing elements can be disposed along the needle to sense the respective temperatures.
Materials often used in thermocouples are iron, constantan, copper, chromel, alumel, and others.
In a preferred form, the sensors may be either thermisters or thermocouples.
The illustrated sensors are thermocouples which are connected by suitable pairs of conductors 24, 26 and 28 respectively which form the respective beads and connect through an insulated wire or the like 30 to a visual monitoring unit 32.
Preferably, the visual monitoring unit would have means for instantaneously monitoring all three or more of the temperatures by means of digital displays 34, 36 and 38.
In addition, the monitor would also include selector control means 40 for changing the temperature scale to either Fahrenheit or Centigrade