Implantable electro-optical sensor

• US 7,805,174 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2007
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Carpenter, Greg Paul, Knipfer, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur; Eric F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berhanu; Etsub D
• Application Number:
  US11/856,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20090076353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 600/310, 600/322, 600/325, 600/333, 600/339, 600/341, 607/22, 607/36
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/02 Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• 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 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36557 controlled by chemical substances in blood
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/77 by observing the effect on a chemical indicator

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are related to electro-optical implantable sensors, amongst other things. In an embodiment, the invention includes an implantable medical device including a housing defining an interior volume, the housing comprising a housing wall and defining an aperture. The implantable medical device can include an optical sensor assembly coupled to the housing wall. The optical sensor assembly can occlude the aperture in the housing wall. The optical sensor assembly can include an electro-optical module including an optical excitation assembly and an optical detection assembly. The optical sensor assembly can also include a chemical sensing element configured to detect a physiological analyte by exhibiting a change in optical properties. An optical window can be disposed between the electro-optical module and the chemical sensing element. The optical window can be configured to allow the transmission of light between the electro-optical module and the chemical sensing element. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device comprising:

a housing defining an interior volume, the housing comprising a housing wall, the housing wall defining an aperture and further defining a stepped flange surrounding the aperture, the stepped flange including a recessed portion;

an optical sensor assembly coupled to the housing wall, the optical sensor assembly occluding the aperture and welded to the recessed portion of the stepped flange;

the optical sensor assembly comprising

an electro-optical module, the electro-optical module comprising

an optical excitation assembly;

an optical detection assembly;

a chemical sensing element, the chemical sensing element configured to detect a physiological analyte by exhibiting a change in optical properties; and

an optical window disposed between the electro-optical module and the chemical sensing element, the optical window configured to allow the transmission of light between the electro-optical module and the chemical sensing element.

2. The implantable medical device of claim 1, the interior volume of the housing hermetically sealed off from the outside of the housing.

3. The implantable medical device of claim 1, further comprising a flange surrounding the edges of the optical window forming a hermetic seal between the flange and the optical window.

4. The implantable medical device of claim 1, further comprising an optical shroud disposed between the optical excitation assembly and the optical detection assembly.

5. The implantable medical device of claim 1, the optical sensor assembly welded to the housing.

6. The implantable medical device of claim 1, further comprising an infrared light filter disposed over the optical detection assembly.

7. The implantable medical device of claim 1, the optical window comprising a rigid planar optical window.

8. The implantable medical device of claim 1, further comprising

a cover layer disposed over the chemical sensing element, the cover layer comprising a material permeable to the physiological analyte.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 8, wherein the cover layer is flush with an outside surface of the housing wall.

10. The implantable medical device of claim 8, wherein the cover layer is opaque.

11. The implantable medical device of claim 1, the optical excitation assembly comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes.

12. The implantable medical device of claim 1, the optical detection assembly comprising a plurality of photodiodes.

13. An implantable medical device comprising:

a housing defining an interior volume, the housing comprising a housing wall, the housing wall defining an aperture;

an optical sensor assembly coupled to the housing wall, the optical sensor assembly occluding the aperture;

the optical sensor assembly comprising

an electro-optical module, the electro-optical module comprising

an optical excitation assembly;

an optical detection assembly;

a chemical sensing element, the chemical sensing element configured to detect a physiological analyte by exhibiting a change in optical properties

wherein the optical sensor assembly is configured to be fitted within the aperture of the housing in only a single orientation; and

an optical window disposed between the electro-optical module and the chemical sensing element, the optical window configured to allow the transmission of light between the electro-optical module and the chemical sensing element.

14. The implantable medical device of claim 13, the interior volume of the housing hermetically sealed off from the outside of the housing.

15. The implantable medical device of claim 13, further comprising a flange surrounding the edges of the optical window forming a hermetic seal between the flange and the optical window.

16. The implantable medical device of claim 13, further comprising an optical shroud disposed between the optical excitation assembly and the optical detection assembly.

17. The implantable medical device of claim 13, the optical sensor assembly welded to the housing.

18. The implantable medical device of claim 13, the optical window comprising a rigid planar optical window.

19. The implantable medical device of claim 13, further comprising an infrared light filter disposed over the optical detection assembly.

20. The implantable medical device of claim 13, further comprising:

a cover layer disposed over the chemical sensing element, the cover layer comprising a material permeable to the physiological analyte.