A sensor that is wireless, battery-free and biodegradable has been developed by researchers from Stanford University. This biodegradable blood flow sensor will make it easier to monitor the success of surgery on blood vessels. A paper on the biodegradable blood flow sensor was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, Jan 8 issue. This sensor monitors the flow of blood through an artery. This biodegradable blood flow sensor is wireless and battery-free which makes it compact. Since it self-resorbs there is no need to remove it and it is useful in detecting a blockage.
The existing sensors needed to be carefully inserted as well as removed after the surgery. This gave rise to surgical risk. The new device developed by the researchers of Stanford University was designed to monitor the blood flow after complicated surgeries as is the case in cardiovascular, vascular and transplant operations. This biodegradable blood flow sensor is wireless, battery-free and self-resorbs after a few months of the surgery.
The sensor is wrapped around the blood vessel. As the blood pumps through the vessel, the sensor changes its shape. The movement of the blood vessel causes the sensor to store an electric charge. With the help of a device which is placed near the skin, but outside the patient’s body, the doctor will be able to detect the electric charge that is located in the sensor. The antenna of the sensor is activated and all the data can be gathered by the sensor.
Due to its size, it reduces the amount of surgery the patient has to go through. Since the sensor is biodegradable, it self-resorbs after a few months of surgery and there is no need to remove it. Additional surgery could be as risky as the original procedure as is required for the older models.
The biodegradable blood flow sensor can warn the doctors in case there is any blockage. This is a great advantage, as many lives can be saved thereby allowing the doctors to respond quickly in case of an emergency.
The biodegradable blood flow sensor is mainly for alerting the doctors in case of a blockage in the healing blood vessel. Scientists are of the opinion, that with advanced development, they may also be able to detect a blockage even before it occurs. Just by tracking very miniscule fluctuations in the blood flow, they will be able to detect blockages as soon as they form, thereby taking immediate action and saving a patient’s life. The researchers are finding better ways of affixing the sensors to the vessels and also refining their sensitivity.
The existing sensors needed to be carefully inserted as well as removed after the surgery. This gave rise to surgical risk. The new device developed by the researchers of Stanford University was designed to monitor the blood flow after complicated surgeries as is the case in cardiovascular, vascular and transplant operations. This biodegradable blood flow sensor is wireless, battery-free and self-resorbs after a few months of the surgery.
What is the biodegradable blood flow sensor?
The biodegradable blood flow sensor is a thin flexible device that is attached around the arteries as small as 1mm in diameter. It measures a few square millimeters and consists of layered fringe-field capacitive sensor. The sensor is connected to a bilayer coil structure which is made of magnesium. This is used to transmit data through radio-frequency coupling with an external reader coil.
How does the biodegradable blood flow sensor work?
The sensor is wrapped around the blood vessel. As the blood pumps through the vessel, the sensor changes its shape. The movement of the blood vessel causes the sensor to store an electric charge. With the help of a device which is placed near the skin, but outside the patient’s body, the doctor will be able to detect the electric charge that is located in the sensor. The antenna of the sensor is activated and all the data can be gathered by the sensor.
Advantages of the biodegradable blood flow sensor over older models
Due to its size, it reduces the amount of surgery the patient has to go through. Since the sensor is biodegradable, it self-resorbs after a few months of surgery and there is no need to remove it. Additional surgery could be as risky as the original procedure as is required for the older models.
The biodegradable blood flow sensor can warn the doctors in case there is any blockage. This is a great advantage, as many lives can be saved thereby allowing the doctors to respond quickly in case of an emergency.
The biodegradable blood flow sensor is mainly for alerting the doctors in case of a blockage in the healing blood vessel. Scientists are of the opinion, that with advanced development, they may also be able to detect a blockage even before it occurs. Just by tracking very miniscule fluctuations in the blood flow, they will be able to detect blockages as soon as they form, thereby taking immediate action and saving a patient’s life. The researchers are finding better ways of affixing the sensors to the vessels and also refining their sensitivity.
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