Implantable Sensor for Blood Flow After Transplant Surgery

A tiny wireless sensor implanted in a patient could let doctors know in minutes instead of hours if an organ is getting adequate blood flow after transplant or reconstructive surgery.

The sensor would provide real-time information by transmitting data to a nearby receiver, following subdermal or deep-tissue implantation. Conventional methods for assessing circulation involve invasive procedures or extensive laboratory testing, which may provide results after damage has already occurred. The tiny unit, about the size of a bottle cap, employs optical sensors to assess tissue circulation. Preliminary tests in laboratory rats have shown promise.

The sensor and micro-instrumentation are being developed by scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL, TN, USA; www.ornl.gov) and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh (PA, USA) and Texas A&M University (College Station, USA). They say the approach could also be useful for measuring blood gases or serum lactate.

"This research is based on several key developments in optics and microfabrication that have far-reaching implications for future directions in a multitude of clinically significant biomedical sensing systems,” said Nance Ericson, of ORNL's Engineering Science and Technology Division, who leads the research. "Through these innovations, biomedical microsensors are poised to make major technology advances to help meet the critical needs of patients in hospitals, emergency care facilities, and extended-care facilities.”




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Oak Ridge National Lab.