Smart sensor: the laboratory in the tube will help with injuries and concussions
Engineers from the University of Cincinnati's Neurotrauma Center at the UC Neuroscience Institute have created a working model of a multimodal catheter – a "smart sensor". Such a catheter is designed to monitor a number of physiological parameters of a patient who has suffered a concussion in real time. At the same time, the catheter is also suitable for more standard procedures – the removal of excess cerebrospinal fluid from the affected area of the brain and the administration of medications.
The idea of the "smart sensor" was developed by neurosurgeons Raj Narayan (MD) and Lori Shutter (MD) from the Center for Neurotrauma. The prototype of the neurocatheter was created in the Laboratory of Microsystems and BioMEMS (micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems) under the supervision of Professor Chong Ahn.
A concussion resulting from a fall or impact is often accompanied by secondary trauma – edema, increased intracranial pressure, deterioration of blood supply and, as a result, oxygen starvation of brain tissues, abnormal glucose levels and fever. An important role in the prevention and minimization of secondary injuries is played by the timely detection of their symptoms and the creation of optimal conditions for the treatment of patients. The new invention is designed to solve these problems.
The catheter is a spirally coiled tube in which glucose, oxygen and pressure sensors are placed. In addition, the device allows you to monitor the biochemical parameters of cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissues. In the future, the list of sensors will be replenished. The multifunctionality of the catheter makes it possible to reduce the number of artificial observation holes in the skull to one. At the same time, the catheter has small dimensions (11 centimeters in length and 1.7 millimeters in diameter), which will become even smaller in the future. It also helps to reduce the risk of an unfavorable outcome of traumatic brain injury.
The invention is not yet ready for human use, but animal testing will be carried out in the coming months. The creators of the sensor expressed confidence in the success of the invention and hope that it will help to fundamentally improve the quality of treatment of traumatic brain injuries.
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru according to ScienceDaily: 'Lab On A Tube' Monitoring Device Developed
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru05.05.2009