A composite fibre optic catheter for monitoring peristaltic transit of an intra-luminal bead

A fibre optic motion sensor has been developed for monitoring the proximity and direction of motion of a ferrous bead travelling axial to the sensor. By integrating an array of these sensors into our previously developed fibre optic manometry catheters we demonstrate simultaneous detection of peristaltic muscular activity and the associated motion of ferrous beads through a colonic lumen. This allows the motion of solid content to be temporally and spatially related to pressure variations generated by peristaltic contractions without resorting to videoflouroscopy to track the motion of a radio opaque bolus. The composite catheter has been tested in an in-vitro animal preparation consisting of excised sections of rabbit colon. Cut-away image of the fibre optic motion sensor showing the location of the fibre Bragg gratings and the rare earth magnet.