Implantable Pressure Sensor With Corrugated Metallic Membrane
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current intracranial pressure measurement technologies face challenges such as high infection risk, inaccurate readings, and short-term reliability due to complex designs and materials that are not biocompatible or prone to drift, especially in long-term applications like hydrocephalus treatment.
Innovation Solution
A pressure measurement system utilizing a corrugated metallic membrane within a sealed, gaseous pressure chamber, integrated with a miniaturized silicon chip sensor, ensures biocompatibility and minimizes stress on the membrane for accurate, drift-free, long-term measurements by using a corrugated membrane design that allows for flexible deformation and reduced tension, eliminating the need for external components in the central nervous system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a sensor is inserted into the body with cable connection for intracranial pressure measurement, then measurement signal can be transmitted to external device, but the risk of infection increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the cable connection and external signal transmission components from the intracranial environment. The sensor is implanted without cables, and signal transmission is achieved through electromagnetic coupling across the skin barrier, eliminating the infection pathway while preserving measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary electromagnetic field as the mediator between the implanted sensor and external receiving device. This allows signal transmission through intact skin without physical penetration, using the skin itself as the boundary rather than a breach point
2Adaptability or versatility
If a plastic capsule with membrane and strain gauge is used for pressure sensing, then the sensor can be made implantable, but the measurement accuracy deteriorates due to high drift
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the drift-prone plastic membrane with a thin metallic membrane that can be replaced during routine shunt operations. The metallic membrane's superior stability compensates for the simplicity of the design, providing long-term accurate measurements without complex materials
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameter from plastic to metal, fundamentally altering the membrane's physical properties. This transition eliminates the drift behavior characteristic of plastic materials while maintaining the necessary flexibility and biocompatibility for implantable pressure sensing
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a sensor is embedded in bone for telemetric measurement, then skin penetration is avoided, but the sensor size becomes bulky and requires surgical embedding
Solution Approach 1:
The invention moves the sensor from the bone embedding dimension to the shunt system integration dimension. By attaching the sensor to the shunt catheter rather than embedding it in bone, the system achieves telemetric measurement through intact skin while maintaining a compact form factor that follows the existing fluid pathway
4Reliability
If a metal layer with biocompatible plastic coating is applied to sensor element, then biocompatibility is improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to conduction through the layer and aging drift
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a thin metallic membrane as both the sensing element and the biocompatible barrier. This eliminates the need for separate coating layers that would interfere with measurement, as the metal itself provides both structural integrity and biological compatibility when properly designed
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure where the metallic membrane is integrated with the shunt system components. This composite design eliminates drift-prone plastic layers while maintaining biocompatibility through the metal's inherent properties and proper surface treatment
5Measurement precision
If a corrugated membrane is used for pressure sensing, then measurement accuracy is improved by reducing membrane stress, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces corrugations (wave-like curvature) into the metallic membrane to reduce stress concentration during pressure measurement. This geometric modification improves measurement accuracy by keeping the membrane within elastic limits while adding minimal complexity to the overall device structure
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides reliable, accurate, and long-term intracranial pressure measurement with reduced risk of infection and drift, suitable for integration into existing shunt systems, enhancing diagnostic capabilities for hydrocephalus treatment.
Implementation Method 1
the measuring device is embedded in a pressure-transmitting medium, in particular in a gaseous pressure medium
Implementation Method 2
a corrugated membrane design that allows for flexible deformation and reduced tension
Data Source
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AI summary
According to the invention, an implantable apparatus for acquiring intracranial pressures consists of a pressure gauge in the form of a microchip, and an undulated, biocompatible membrane for transmitting pressure from the outside to the inside. At the sensor end, the pressure is transmitted further on by an extremely small chamber that is filled with air or a special gas.