Monitoring the concentration of a substance or a group of substances in a body fluid
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring a concentration of a selected substance or of a group of substances in a body fluid of a living human or animal body in wearable device worn on the living human or animal body and comprising an interface to the body, the method comprising the steps of:
- holding the wearable device to the body;
transferring the selected substance or group of substances to be monitored from the body through the interface;
transporting the substance or group of substances to be monitored away from behind the interface in a perfusion fluid flow having a flow rate of less than 60 μ
l/hour; and
measuring the concentration of the substance or group of substances to be monitored in the perfusion flow in the wearable device downstream from the interface.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The concentration of a substance or group of substances in a body fluid is monitored by means of an interface held in contact with a living human or animal body and a detector is positioned downstream from the interface. A profusion fluid is passed from the interface to and along the detector at a flow rate of less than 60 μl/hour. A constant flow is maintained at the low flow rate with very little or no supply of energy, allowing for a compact construction and reduced measurement delay.
40 Citations
54 Claims
-
1. A method for monitoring a concentration of a selected substance or of a group of substances in a body fluid of a living human or animal body in wearable device worn on the living human or animal body and comprising an interface to the body, the method comprising the steps of:
-
holding the wearable device to the body; transferring the selected substance or group of substances to be monitored from the body through the interface; transporting the substance or group of substances to be monitored away from behind the interface in a perfusion fluid flow having a flow rate of less than 60 μ
l/hour; andmeasuring the concentration of the substance or group of substances to be monitored in the perfusion flow in the wearable device downstream from the interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method of monitoring the concentration of a selected substance or group of substances in a body fluid of a living human or animal body in a wearable device, in which the substance or group of substances to be monitored is transferred from the body through an interface and is transported in the wearable device away from behind the interface in a perfusion fluid flow having a flow rate of less than 25 μ
- l/hour, and in which the concentration of the substance or group of substances to be monitored in the perfusion flow is measured in the wearable device downstream from the interface.
-
17. A method for monitoring the concentration of a selected substance or group of substances in a body fluid of a living human or animal body, in which the substance or group of substances to be monitored is transferred from the body through an interface and is transported away from behind the interface in a perfusion fluid flow having a flow rate of less than 60 μ
- l/hour and in which the concentration of the substance or group of substances to be monitored in the perfusion flow is measured downstream from the interface the method comprising the steps of;
selecting the substance or group of substances to be monitored from the perfusion fluid flow in a first location; and detecting a concentration in the perfusion fluid flow in a second location downstream from the first location; the selecting step comprising the steps of; providing a complex of antibodies and an antibody-specific detectable derivative of the substance of group of substances to be monitored; immobilizing the complex in said first location; and passing the perfusion fluid along the complex such that some of the derivative is substituted by the substance or group of substances to be monitored; the concentration in the perfusion fluid detected in said second location being the concentration of the derivative substituted by the substance or group of substances to be monitored.
- l/hour and in which the concentration of the substance or group of substances to be monitored in the perfusion flow is measured downstream from the interface the method comprising the steps of;
-
18. A method for monitoring the concentration of a selected substance or group of substances in a body fluid of a living human or animal body, in which the substance or group of substances to be monitored is transferred from the body through an interface and is transported away from behind the interface in a perfusion fluid flow having a flow rate of less than 60 μ
- l/hour, and in which the concentration of the substance or group of substances to be monitored in the perfusion flow is measured downstream from the interface, wherein the method is carried out in situ on the body, the temperature of the perfusion fluid is constant and the perfusion fluid thermally insulated from the environment of the body.
-
19. A wearable device for monitoring a concentration of a substance or a group of substances in a body fluid of a living human or animal body while the wearable device is worn on the living human or animal body, the wearable device comprising:
-
a mounting device for mounting the wearable device to the body; an interface for interfacing the wearable device with the living human or animal body; a flow channel extending from the interface; a detector connected in the flow channel; and a flow maintaining device for maintaining a perfusion fluid flow in the flow channel along the interface and the detector at a rate of less than 60 μ
l/hour. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 48)
-
-
33. A wearable device for monitoring a concentration of substances in a body fluid of a living human or animal body, the device comprising:
-
an interface; a detector; a flow maintaining device for maintaining a perfusion fluid from the interface to the detector at a rate of less than 60 μ
l/hour;a conduit extending between the interface and the detector; and a selector operatively connected between the interface and the detector, the selector comprising a chamber formed by a porous tube extending in the conduit, for immobilizing enzymes or a complex of antibodies and an antibody-specific derivative of the substance of group of substances to be monitored. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 39)
-
-
36. A wearable device for monitoring a concentration of a substance in a body fluid of a living human or animal body, the device comprising:
-
an interface; a detector; a flow maintaining device for maintaining a perfusion fluid from the interface to the detector at a rate of less than 60 μ
l/hour;a selector operatively connected between the interface and the detector, the selector comprising a chamber and a means for immobilizing enzymes or a complex of antibodies and an antibody-specific derivative of the substance of group of substances to be monitored; and a barrier for closing off the selector after the chamber is filled.
-
-
37. A wearable device for monitoring a concentration of a substance in a body fluid of a living human or animal body, the device comprising:
-
an interface; an electromechanical amperometric detector comprising a conduit bounded by walls of electrically insulating material, wire shaped electrodes each having a diameter substantially smaller than the diameter of the conduit, extending within the conduit from a wall of the conduit and mutually spaced, at least on the ends of each electrode extending to the outside of the conduit wall; flow maintaining device for maintaining a perfusion fluid from the interface to the detector at a rate of less than 60 μ
l/hour. - View Dependent Claims (38)
-
-
40. A wearable device for monitoring a concentration of a substance in a body fluid of a living human or animal body, the device comprising:
-
an interface; a detector; a flow maintaining device for maintaining a perfusion fluid from the interface to the detector at a rate of less than 60 μ
l/hour; andmeans for keeping the device in an in situ position on the body; and means for controlling the temperature of the perfusion fluid, including a thermally insulating layer covering at least one side of the device and leaving free a side of the device which is to be worn in a position facing the body.
-
-
41. A wearable device for collecting a substance or a group of substances in a body fluid of the living human or animal body, the wearable device comprising:
-
a mounting unit for mounting the wearable device to the body; an interface for interfacing the wearable device with the living human or animal body; a collecting reservoir; and a flow maintaining device comprising a pressure differential reservoir for maintaining a perfusion fluid flow from the interface to the collecting reservoir at a rate of less than 60 μ
l/hour.
-
-
42. A method for monitoring concentration of a substance or of a group of substances in a body fluid of a living human or animal body, the method comprising the steps of:
-
transferring the selected substance or group of substances to be monitored from the body through an interface; transporting the substance or group of substances to be monitored away from behind the interface in a perfusion fluid flow; providing an immobilized complex of antibodies and an antibody specific detectable derivative of the substance or group of substances to be monitored in the perfusion fluid flow at a first location; passing the perfusion fluid along the complex such that some of the derivative is substituted by the substance or group of substances to be monitored; and detecting a concentration of the substance or group of substances to be monitored in a second location downstream from the first location; wherein concentration in the perfusion fluid detected in the second location is the concentration of the derivative substituted by the substance or group of substances to be monitored.
-
-
43. A wearable device for monitoring the concentration of a substance or a group of substances in a body fluid of living human or animal body, comprising:
-
an interface; a detector communicating with the interface; a fluid transfer device for transferring a perfusion fluid from the interface to the detector; and a selector operatively connected between the interface and the detector, the selector comprising enzymes or a complex of antibodies and an antibody-specific derivative of the substance or group of substances to be monitored immobilized in the selector.
-
-
44. A method for monitoring a concentration of a selected substance or group of substances in a body fluid of a living human or animal body in a wearable device worn on the living human or animal body and comprising a mounting device for mounting the wearable device to the human or animal body, a detector and an interface to the body, the method comprising the steps of:
-
mounting the wearable device to the body; holding the wearable device against the body; transferring the selected substance or group of substances to be monitored from the body through the interface; transporting the selected substance or group of substances to be monitored in the wearable device away from behind the interface and along the detector in a perfusion fluid having a flow rate of less than 60 μ
l/hour; andmeasuring the concentration of the substance or group of substances to be monitored in the perfusion flow in the detector downstream from the interface.
-
-
45. A method for monitoring a concentration of a selected substance or group of substances in a body fluid of a living human or animal body in a wearable device while worn on the living human or animal body and comprising an interface to the body, the method comprising the steps of:
-
transferring the selected substance or group of substances to be monitored from the body through the interface; transporting the selected substance or group of substances to be monitored in the wearable device away from the from behind the interface by a non-moving means in a perfusion fluid having a flow rate of less than 60 μ
l/hour by a non-moving means; andmeasuring the concentration of the substance or group of substances to be monitored in the perfusion flow in the wearable device downstream from the interface.
-
-
46. A wearable device for monitoring a concentration of a substance or a group of substances in a body fluid of living human or animal body while the wearable device is worn on the living human or animal body, the wearable device comprising:
-
an interface for interfacing the device with the living human or animal body and comprising a window adapted to be held against an outer skin of the living human or animal body; a detector connected to the interface; and a flow maintaining device for maintaining a perfusion fluid flow from the interface to the detector at a rate of less than 60 μ
l/hour.
-
-
47. A wearable device for monitoring a concentration of a substance or a group of substances in a body fluid of living human or animal body while the wearable device is worn on the living human or animal body, the wearable device comprising:
-
an interface for interfacing the device with the living human or animal body; a detector connected to the interface; and a fluid flow maintaining means, which in operative condition is a non-moving device, for maintaining a perfusion fluid flow from the interface to the detector at a rate of less than 60 μ
l/hour.
-
-
49. A method of monitoring the concentration of a selected substance or group of substances in a body fluid of a living human or animal body, in which the substance or group of substances to be monitored is transferred from the body through an interface and is transported away from behind the interface and along a detector in a perfusion fluid flow having a flow rate of less than 59 μ
- l/hour, and in which the concentration of the substance or group of substances to be monitored in the perfusion flow is measured by the detector downstream from the interface.
- View Dependent Claims (50)
-
51. A method of monitoring the concentration of a selected substance or group of substances in a body fluid of a living human or animal body, in which the substance or group of substances to be monitored is transferred from the body through an interface and is transported away from behind the interface and along a detector in a perfusion fluid flow having a flow rate of less than 0.99 μ
- l/minute, and in which the concentration of the substance or group of substances to be monitored in the perfusion flow is measured by the detector downstream from the interface.
-
52. A wearable device for monitoring a concentration of a substance or a group of substances in a body fluid of living human or animal body, comprising:
-
an interface; a detector for measuring the concentration of substances in a fluid flow flowing along the detector; and a flow maintaining device for maintaining a perfusion fluid flow from the interface and along the detector at a rate of less than 59 μ
l/hour. - View Dependent Claims (53)
-
-
54. A wearable device for monitoring a concentration of a substance or a group of substances in a body fluid of living human or animal body, comprising:
-
an interface; a detector for measuring the concentration of substances in a fluid flow flowing along the detector; and a flow maintaining device for maintaining a perfusion fluid flow from the interface and along the detector at a rate of less than one μ
l/minute.
-
Specification