EXTERNAL SENSING FOR IMPLANT RUPTURE

• US 20090012372A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NovAlert, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NovAlert, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Noel, Yogi, Takashi, Gryskiewicz, Joseph, Hall, Gregory, Burnett, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/929,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20090012372A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/03 Detecting, measuring or recording fluid pressure within the body other than blood pressure, e.g. cerebral pressure; Measuring pressure in body tissues or organs A61B5/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/076 Permanent implantations telemetry using implanted circuitry A61B5/0031; implanted stimulators for therapy A61N1/3605, A61N1/362, A61N1/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6846 specially adapted to be brought in contact with an internal body part, i.e. invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/12 Mammary prostheses and implants

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method for sensing for the rupture of an implant (such as a breast implant) that has been implanted in body tissues or in an organ of a patient. In one embodiment, a system according to the present invention includes, among other possible things, a sensor coupled to an outer surface of the implant and configured to measure a property at the outer surface of the implant, for example, electrical conduction, chemical composition, or an optical property that is indicative of whether an implant rupture has occurred. The sensor is also configured to transmit a wireless signal to a device external to the body, which alerts the patient or a healthcare provider whether the measured property indicates that the implant rupture may have occurred.

Claims

1. A system for detecting rupture of an implant in a body, the system comprising:

a sensor disposed on a surface of the implant, the sensor being configured to detect a property of a surrounding environment and to emit a wireless signal, the property being detected entirely outside or entirely inside the implant and indicating whether the rupture has occurred; and

a device external to the body and configured to receive the wireless signal from the sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is printed on the surface of the implant.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is coupled to a patch coupled to the implant.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed in a recess provided in a reinforced area of the surface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the surface is an outer surface or an inner surface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of electrodes coupled to the surface of the implant, and wherein the property is electrical conduction between the electrodes.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises a multi-vibrator oscillator having a frequency determined by a resistance between the electrodes.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the electrodes are arranged on the surface to provide a profile flush with the surface.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the implant comprises a filler having insulating properties, wherein the surface is an outer surface, and wherein the sensor is configured to measure a reduction in electrical conduction between the electrodes after the rupture.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a radio-frequency identification circuit.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises data.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the system transmits a radio signal at a frequency of about 13.56 MHz.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to receive power transmitted from the device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an oscillator, and wherein the oscillator comprises an astable multivibrator.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a microprocessor detecting a change in the property by comparing a reading of the property against a predetermined threshold.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a display of whether the signal indicates that the implant rupture has occurred.

14. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensor is configured to receive power from the device inductively at about one Watt of radio-frequency output.

18. A method for detecting rupture of an implant in a body, the method comprising:

disposing a sensor on a surface of the implant, the sensor being configured to detect a property of a surrounding environment and to emit a wireless signal, the property being detected entirely outside or entirely inside the implant and indicating whether the rupture has occurred;

providing a device external to the body and configured to receive the signal from the sensor wirelessly;

connecting the device with the sensor wirelessly; and

receiving an alert from the device in the event the implant rupture has occurred.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein coupling the sensor to the surface comprises coupling the sensor to a patch coupled to the implant.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein coupling the sensor comprises providing the sensor with a radio-frequency identification circuit.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein coupling the sensor comprises coupling a plurality of electrodes to an inner or outer surface of the implant, and wherein the property is electrical conduction between the electrodes.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein coupling the plurality of electrodes to the outer surface of the implant comprises coupling the plurality of the electrodes to provide a profile flush with the outer surface.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein coupling the sensor comprises coupling a plurality of electrodes to the outer surface of the implant, wherein receiving the alert comprises receiving a signal that electrical conduction between the electrodes has decreased due to an insulating implant filler contacting one or more of the electrodes.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of providing power from the device to the sensor wirelessly.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of having the device provide a display of whether the signal indicates that the implant rupture has occurred.