Self-Powered Magnetoelastic Stent Sensor for Continuous Restenosis Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current diagnostic modalities for in-stent restenosis, such as angiography and duplex ultrasound, are intermittent, operator-dependent, labor-intensive, and invasive, often failing to detect restenosis until it's too late, necessitating repeated interventions, while existing flow sensors are bulky, require external power, and are inaccurate due to positional variations.
Innovation Solution
A bioelectronic stent sensor system with a biocompatible magnetoelastic micromesh (BMM) integrated into a stent, which senses blood flow and pressure changes to induce current signals, eliminating the need for external power and providing continuous, accurate monitoring through a computing system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If external power sources and encapsulation layers are added to enable flow sensing, then sensing capability is improved, but device size becomes bulky and application in small blood vessels is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the flow sensor, power source, and signal processing components into a single integrated stent structure. The stent struts themselves serve as both the mechanical support and the sensing element, eliminating the need for separate encapsulation layers and external power sources. This integration enables continuous flow monitoring while maintaining a compact form factor suitable for small blood vessels.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: providing mechanical support to keep the artery open, sensing blood flow characteristics, and transmitting signals for monitoring. The same structural elements that provide stent functionality also serve as the sensing mechanism, eliminating the need for additional dedicated sensing components that would increase device size.
2Ease of operation
If radio-frequency inductive coupling and external antennas are used for wireless sensing, then wireless interrogation is enabled, but measurement accuracy decreases due to positional variations
Solution Approach 1:
The stent sensor system is designed to be self-powered and self-sensing, eliminating the need for external antennas and radio-frequency excitation sources. The stent generates its own power through the magnetoelastic effect using the body's natural magnetic field variations, and the sensing elements are directly integrated into the stent structure, making the measurement independent of external positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the radio-frequency electromagnetic coupling system with a magnetoelastic sensing mechanism. Instead of using external antennas and RF fields, the stent uses magnetoelastic materials that directly convert mechanical stress from blood flow into magnetic field variations, which can be detected without external RF excitation, thereby eliminating positional accuracy issues.
3Reliability
If intermittent diagnostic procedures like angiography are used, then diagnostic capability is provided, but detection timeliness is delayed and repeated interventions are required
Solution Approach 1:
The stent sensor enables continuous, real-time monitoring of blood flow through the stented artery. The sensing elements are permanently implanted within the stent structure, allowing uninterrupted collection of hemodynamic data. This continuous monitoring eliminates the need for repeated intermittent diagnostic procedures and enables immediate detection of restenosis or other complications.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing capability is built into the stent before implantation, so monitoring begins immediately upon deployment. The system is pre-configured to continuously track flow characteristics, allowing early detection of restenosis before it becomes clinically significant, rather than waiting for scheduled follow-up procedures.
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 real-time, accurate, and continuous monitoring of blood flow and pressure within stents, minimizing restenosis detection time and eliminating the need for additional procedures, with high sensitivity, fast response times, and biocompatibility.
Implementation Method 1
a biocompatible magnetoelastic micromesh (BMM)... configured to deform and to shift its magnetic flux to induce a current in the first lattice
Implementation Method 2
shift its magnetic flux to induce a current in the first lattice
Data Source
AI summary
A bioelectronic stent sensor system comprises a bioelectronic stent sensor device comprising a first hollow cylindrical lattice, and a second hollow cylindrical lattice attached to a first surface of the first lattice, comprising a biocompatible magnetoelastic micromesh (BMM), and a computing system communicatively connected to the bioelectronic stent sensor device, comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium with instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processor, perform steps comprising receiving readout current signals from the bioelectronic stent sensor device, and calculating a blood flow rate based on the readout current signals by establishing an empirical relationship between the readout current signals and a flow rate value. Related devices and methods are also disclosed.