Implantable apparatus for sensing multiple parameters

• US 20050148832A1
• Filed: 12/26/2003
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Shah, Rajiv, Van Antwerp, William P., Enegren, Bradley J., Reghabi, Bahar, Gottlieb, Rebecca K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,948,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/309
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/063 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14865 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 Detecting or monitoring sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters

Abstract

An apparatus for sensing multiple parameters includes an implantable housing and a plurality of implantable sensors disposed within the implantable housing. The plurality of implantable sensors sense parameters in a patient, such as biological or physiological parameters, for example, and each responds to an analyte in the patient. The plurality of implantable sensors may include, but is not limited to, electrochemical, potentiometric, current and optical sensors.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sensing multiple parameters comprising:

an implantable housing;

an implantable tip affixed to a first end of the housing; and

a plurality of implantable sensors disposed within the implantable housing for sensing parameters in a patient,

wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors responds to lactate.

2. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors is a biological parameter sensor.

3. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors is a physiological parameter sensor.

4. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors is an electrochemical sensor.

5. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors is a potentiometric sensor.

6. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors is a current sensor.

7. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors is an optical sensor.

8. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors produces an analog output.

9. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors produces a digital output.

10. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein the plurality of implantable sensors are wired together in a daisy-chain configuration.

11. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein the plurality of implantable sensors are wired independently from one another.

12. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of implantable sensors are wired together in a daisy-chain configuration.

13. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of implantable sensors are wired independently from one another.

14. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors responds to blood oxygen saturation.

15. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors responds to glucose.

16. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors that responds to lactate responds to lactate continuously.

17. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors responds to temperature.

18. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors responds to potassium.

19. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors responds to pH.

20. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of implantable sensors includes an electrode.

21. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein the parameter is a biological parameter.

22. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein the parameter is a physiological parameter.

23. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein the parameter is an analyte.

24. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein the tip is an ogive-shaped tip.

25. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein the housing is silicone.

26. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein the housing is a catheter.

27. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, wherein the housing is a multi-lumen catheter.

28. The apparatus for sensing multiple parameters of claim 1, further comprising an infusion line for delivering an infusant, the infusion line being disposed within the implantable housing and adjacent the plurality of sensors.

29. An implantable sensor comprising:

an implantable housing;

an implantable tip affixed to a first end of the housing; and

a plurality of implantable sensing elements disposed within the implantable housing for sensing parameters in a patient.

30. The sensor of claim 29, wherein the plurality of implantable sensing elements are biological parameter sensing elements.

31. The sensor of claim 29, wherein the plurality of implantable sensing elements are physiological parameter sensing elements.

32. The sensor of claim 29, wherein the plurality of implantable sensing elements are analyte sensing elements.

33. The sensor of claim 29, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensing elements responds to blood oxygen saturation.

34. The sensor of claim 29, further comprising an infusion line for delivering an infusant, the infusion line being disposed within the implantable housing and adjacent the plurality of sensing elements.

35. The sensor of claim 29, wherein the plurality of implantable sensing elements are electrodes disposed on a substrate.

36. The sensor of claim 35, wherein one of the electrodes is a glucose electrode.

37. The sensor of claim 35, wherein one of the electrodes is a lactate electrode.

38. The sensor of claim 35, wherein one of the electrodes is an oxygen electrode.

39. The sensor of claim 35, wherein one of the electrodes is a reference electrode.

40. The sensor of claim 35, wherein one of the electrodes is an enzyme counter. electrode.

41. The sensor of claim 35, wherein one of the electrodes is an oxygen counter electrode.

42. The sensor of claim 29, wherein the plurality of implantable sensing elements includes a pressure transducer.

43. The sensor of claim 29, wherein the plurality of implantable sensing elements sense intracranial parameters.

44. A method of fabricating an apparatus for sensing multiple parameters comprising:

providing a plurality of implantable sensors; and

enclosing the plurality of implantable sensors in an implantable housing.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the plurality of implantable sensors are biological parameter sensors.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the plurality of implantable sensors are physiological parameter sensors.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the plurality of implantable sensors are analyte sensors.

48. The method of claim 44, further comprising enclosing an infusion line in the implantable housing.