Flexible Pulsation Sensor for Wireless Graft Pressure Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vascular grafts are vulnerable to failure due to intimal hyperplasia, reduced diameter, blood clotting, and graft occlusion, necessitating a better method to detect blood flow and pressure for early detection of potential failure.

Innovation Solution

A flexible pulsation sensor (FPS) device wrapped around the conduit that includes a piezoresistive elastomer composite and a flexible circuit board with a wireless transmitter, allowing for non-invasive monitoring of blood pressure and flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a sensor is placed within the lumen of the conduit to detect blood pressure and flow, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and risk of interference with blood flow increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblood pressure and flow detection accuracyVSAvoidintraluminal placement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by placing the sensor outside the conduit lumen rather than inside. The flexible pulsation sensor wraps around the external surface of the conduit, detecting pressure and flow changes through the conduit wall without intraluminal placement, thereby avoiding interference with blood flow while maintaining measurement capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The conduit wall itself serves as an intermediary medium that transmits pressure and flow information from the internal blood environment to the external sensor. The flexible sensor detects these transmitted mechanical signals through the conduit wall, eliminating the need for direct intraluminal contact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If continuous monitoring of blood pressure and flow is implemented, then reliability of detecting graft dysfunction is improved, but use of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection of graft dysfunctionVSAvoidenergy consumption for continuous monitoring

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The wireless transmitter operates in periodic intervals rather than continuous transmission. Data is collected continuously by the sensor, but transmission to external devices occurs at scheduled intervals or when threshold changes are detected, reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliable monitoring capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor system monitors itself for functional status and automatically transmits data when anomalies are detected, reducing the need for external power management and enabling reliable autonomous operation for detecting graft dysfunction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If a flexible sensor device is designed to wrap around the conduit, then adaptability to different conduit sizes is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefit to different conduit sizesVSAvoidsensor fabrication accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor is constructed as a flexible thin film that can conform to the external surface of conduits of varying sizes. This flexible membrane structure allows the same sensor design to adapt to different conduit diameters and shapes through elastic deformation, eliminating the need for multiple size-specific variants

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor's physical parameters such as curvature and contact area change dynamically to match the conduit dimensions. The flexible material properties allow the sensor to adjust its geometric parameters automatically when wrapped around conduits of different sizes, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

Enables continuous, accurate monitoring of blood pressure and flow without intraluminal placement, detecting graft dysfunction and potential failure, and providing real-time data transmission to external devices.

Implementation Method 1

A flexible pulsation sensor (FPS) device wrapped around the conduit that includes a piezoresistive elastomer composite

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPiezoresistive effect: Piezoresistive Effect

Implementation Method 2

a flexible circuit board with a wireless transmitter, allowing for non-invasive monitoring of blood pressure and flow

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic transmission: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP4210567B1Flexible pressure sensor with wireless monitoring capability

Publication Date: 2026.04.15 CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIV

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AI summary

Described herein is an apparatus (a flexible pulsation sensor (FPS) device) that provides wireless monitoring capability. The FPS device includes a FPS configured to wrap around a measurement target of a conduit, such as a synthetic vascular graft or a vessel of a patient. The FPS device also includes a flexible circuit board fitting including circuit elements. The circuit elements can include a pressure sensor that collects data related to displacement of the FPS related to a pressure of and/or within the measurement target; and a wireless transmitter that transmits the data related to the pressure of and/or within the measurement target wirelessly to an external device.