Implantable Vessel Fluid Sensor

• US 20160220125A1
• Filed: 01/29/2016
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Karlovsky, Kamil, Goller, Bernhard, Hammerschmidt, Dirk, Theuss, Horst, von Koblinski, Carsten
• Granted Patent: US 10,433,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters

Abstract

An implantable vessel fluid sensor is configured to sense at least one vessel fluid parameter of a vessel. The implantable vessel fluid sensor includes a tubular body having a first end portion. The first end portion is configured to be inserted into and to form a sealed junction with an open vessel end of the vessel. The implantable vessel fluid sensor further includes a sensor unit connected to the tubular body. The sensor unit includes a sensor region configured to be in direct contact with the vessel fluid in a sealed junction state. A minimum distance between the sensor region and the first end portion is at most 10 times an outer diameter of the first end portion of the tubular body.

Claims

1. An implantable vessel fluid sensor configured to sense at least one vessel fluid parameter of a vessel, the implantable vessel fluid sensor comprising:

a tubular body including a first end portion, the first end portion being configured to be inserted into and to form a sealed junction with an open vessel end of the vessel; and

a sensor unit connected to the tubular body and comprising a sensor region configured to be in direct contact with a vessel fluid in a sealed junction state, wherein a minimum distance between the sensor region and the first end portion is at most 10 times an outer diameter of the first end portion of the tubular body, and wherein the sensor unit is a semiconductor device comprising;

a proximal part plugging the first end portion of the tubular body and having an interconnection side; and

a distal part protruding from the first end portion of the tubular body and having a sensor side.

2. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 1, wherein the tubular body comprises at least one of a glass and a synthetic material.

3. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 1, wherein a ratio of the outer diameter of the first end portion of the tubular body and an inner diameter of the open vessel end is in a range of 0.8 to 1.2.

4. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises:

a sensor part configured to be in direct contact with the vessel fluid in a sealed junction state to measure the at least one vessel fluid parameter; and

a communication part configured to transmit sensor data of the sensor part to an external device.

5. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 1, wherein the at least one vessel fluid parameter is a blood pressure.

6. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 1, wherein the vessel is a carotid artery of a rodent.

7. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor region is arranged at the interconnection side and configured to be in direct contact with the vessel fluid via a backside fluid port at the sensor side.

8. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit has a circular shape along a cross-sectional area at the first end portion of the tubular body.

9. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit has rounded edges at the distal part.

10. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 1, wherein the distal part of the sensor unit is cone-shaped.

11. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 1, wherein the tubular body comprises at its inner side a wiring layer comprising at least one wiring layer area being electrically coupled to the sensor region of the sensor unit.

12. An implantable vessel fluid sensor configured to sense at least one vessel fluid parameter of a vessel, the implantable vessel fluid sensor comprising:

a tubular body including a first end portion, the first end portion being configured to be inserted into and to form a sealed junction with an open vessel end of the vessel; and

a sensor unit connected to the tubular body and comprising a sensor region configured to be in direct contact with a vessel fluid in a sealed junction state, wherein a minimum distance between the sensor region and the first end portion is at most 10 times an outer diameter of the first end portion of the tubular body, and

wherein the tubular body includes a second end portion, the second end portion being configured to be inserted into and to form a sealed junction with a remaining open vessel end of the vessel to form an artificial vessel part interconnecting the open vessel end and the remaining open vessel end of the vessel.

13. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 12, wherein the sensor region of the sensor unit is inserted in a cut or an opening of the tubular body, and wherein the cut or the opening is sealed by a sealing structure.

14. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 12, wherein the tubular body includes a T-tube having the first end portion and the second end portion, and further having a sensor end portion for accommodating the sensor unit, the sensor end portion having a blind end.

15. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 12, wherein the tubular body is attached to the sensor unit and has a sensor opening at the sensor region of the sensor unit, the area of the attached tubular body being smaller than the area of the sensor unit facing the tubular body.

16. The implantable vessel fluid sensor of claim 12, wherein the tubular body comprises a first part having a first cross-sectional area and a second part having a second cross-sectional area, the second cross-sectional area being different than the first cross-sectional area, and wherein the sensor unit comprises a first sensor region configured to sense fluid pressure at the first part and a second sensor region configured to sense the fluid pressure at the second part.

17. A method of implanting an implantable vessel fluid sensor, the method comprising:

providing an implantable vessel fluid sensor configured to sense at least one vessel fluid parameter of a vessel, the implantable vessel fluid sensor comprising;

a tubular body including a first end portion, the first end portion being configured to be inserted into and to form a sealed junction with an open vessel end of the vessel; and

a sensor unit connected to the tubular body and comprising a sensor region configured to be in direct contact with a vessel fluid in a sealed junction state, wherein a minimum distance between the sensor region and the first end portion is at most 10 times an outer diameter of the first end portion of the tubular body, and wherein the sensor unit is a semiconductor device comprising;

a proximal part plugging the first end portion of the tubular body and having an interconnection side; and

a distal part protruding from the first end portion of the tubular body and having a sensor side

cutting a vessel into two parts, the two parts having an open vessel end and a remaining open vessel end, respectively;

inserting the first end portion of the tubular body into the open vessel end; and

forming a sealed junction between the first end portion and the open vessel end.