Multiplexed implantable sensor probe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12478261-B2
Application number	US-201815975067-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2018
Priority date	May 9, 2017
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

The present invention provides devices comprising multimodal depth electrodes for real-time quantification of chemistry and electrophysiology of the body. The devices are useful in several applications, including monitoring primary and secondary brain injury. The multimodal depth electrodes electrically transduce signals from biological parameters of interest, including EEG, temperature, pressure, oxygen level, blood flow, and chemistry.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An integrated probe device comprising:
an elongate body having:
a proximal end comprising a plurality of connector pads, and
a distal end having a tip, the distal end comprising:
at least one EEG electrode,
at least one oxygen sensor,
at least one pressure sensor,
at least one thermally conductive element, and
at least one flow sensor comprising:
a heater and thermistor paired in thin metal, wherein the thermistor comprises a serpentine structure, wherein the heater comprises a first outer serpentine structure and a second outer serpentine structure with the first and second outer serpentine structures disposed on opposing sides of the thermistor serpentine structure, wherein the thermistor is separate from leads connecting each other sensor to the plurality of connector pads, wherein each of the sensors is connected to the plurality of connector pads by one or more leads, wherein the at least one thermally conductive element is connected to the at least one flow sensor, and wherein the at least one flow sensor is proximally adjacent to the tip of the distal end.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one EEG electrode comprises a thin film metal evaporated onto a flexible polymer strip.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one oxygen sensor is a Clark-type sensor comprising thin-film electrode leads overlaid with a solid-state proton conductive matrix (PCM).

4 . The device of claim 3 , wherein a layer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) overlays the PCM.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one oxygen sensor comprises a titanium/gold or titanium/platinum electrodes overlaid with a PCM constructed from 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethene; 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-2-[1,1,1,2,3,3-hexafluoro-3-(1,2,2-trifluoroethenoxy)propan-2-yl]oxyethanesulfonic acid.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pressure sensor is selected from a microelectromechanical sensor (MEMS), a capacitive pressure sensor, or a piezoresistive pressure sensor.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pressure sensor is electronically connected to a valve positioned within a lumen of the elongate body, such that the at least one pressure sensor is configured to open the valve above a preset pressure threshold and to close the valve below a preset pressure threshold.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow sensor heater and the at least one flow sensor thermometer each comprises a thin film NiCr or Au resistor.

9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow sensor thermometer is a silicon diode.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow sensor comprises a heater adjacent to a thermistor fabricated as a single component.

11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow sensor heater and the at least one flow sensor thermometer are integrated onto a single substrate.

12 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more preamps positioned on the one or more leads between the connector pads and the sensors.

13 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one local field potential electrode.

14 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one field effect transistor (FET) sensor, enzyme FET (ENFET) sensor, or nanowire field-effect transistors (NWFET).

15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one FET sensor, ENFET sensor, or NWFET sensor is configured to detect a biomarker selected from the group consisting of: lactate, pyruvate, glutamate, glutamine, and glycerol.

16 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the elongate body is coated in a layer of polytetrafluoroethelene (PTFE) or polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

17 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising an interface device electronically connected to the plurality of connector pads, the interface device comprising non-transitory computer-readable media configured to capture readings from the device sensors and a processor configured to interpret readings from the device sensors.

18 . The device of claim 17 , wherein the interface device further comprises non-transitory computer-readable media having calibration data for the device sensors.

19 . The device of claim 17 , wherein the interface device is configured to connect to one or more external displays in a wired or wireless connection.

20 . The integrated probe device of claim 1 , wherein the tip is conductive, wherein the at least one flow sensor is connected to the conductive tip.

21 . The integrated probe device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one EEG electrode comprises a cuff attached to an exterior of the probe device.

22 . A probe device comprising:
an elongate hollow tubular probe body configured to drain a fluid, the body comprising:
a drain lumen,
at least one valve electronically linked to at least one valve control,
at least one EEG electrode,
at least one oxygen sensor,
at least one pressure sensor, and
at least one flow sensor comprising:
a heater and thermistor paired in thin metal, wherein the thermistor comprises a serpentine structure, wherein the heater comprises a first outer serpentine structure and a second outer serpentine structure with the first and second outer serpentine structures disposed on opposing sides of the thermistor serpentine structure, at least one thermally conductive element, and a proximal end comprising a plurality of connector pads, wherein each of the sensors is connected to the plurality of connector pads by one or more leads and the thermistor is separate from the leads, wherein the at least one thermally conductive element is connected to the at least one flow sensor, wherein the at least one flow sensor is proximally adjacent to a tip at a distal end of the probe body, and wherein the valve control is electronically linked to one or more of the at least one pressure sensor, the at least one oxygen sensor, and the at least one flow sensor.

23 . An integrated probe device comprising:
an elongate body having:
a proximal end comprising one or more connector pads, and
a distal end having a conducting distal tip, the distal end comprising:
at least one EEG electrode,
at least one oxygen sensor,
at least one pressure sensor,
at least one thermally conductive element, and
at least one flow sensor comprising:
a heater and thermistor paired in thin metal:
wherein the thermistor comprises a top side, a bottom side, and first and second lateral sides, wherein the first and second lateral sides are across from one another;
wherein the heater comprises first and second outer serpentine structures, wherein the first and second outer serpentine structures each comprise at least two 180 degree turns, wherein the first and second outer serpentine structures are positioned adjacent to the first and second lateral sides of the thermistor, respectively;
wherein the thermistor is separate from leads connecting each other sensor to the one or more connector pads and forms an inner serpentine structure, wherein each of the sensors is connected to a connector pad by one or more leads, wherein the at least one thermally conductive element is connected to the at least one flow sensor, and wherein the at least one flow sensor is proximally adjacent to the conducting distal tip.

24 . The integrated probe device of claim 23 , wherein each of the 180 degree turns of the first and second outer serpentine structures com

Assignees

• Univ Yale

Inventors

• Reed Mark
• Spencer Dennis
• Zaveri Hitten

Classifications

• A61B5/293

  Invasive · CPC title

• G01L19/0092

  Pressure sensor associated with other sensors, e.g. for measuring acceleration or temperature (G01L9/025, G01L9/045, G01L9/065, G01L9/085, G01L9/105, G01L9/125, G01L19/02, G01L19/04 take precedence; measuring two or more variable G01D21/02; temperature sensors with pressure compensation G01K1/26) · CPC title

• A61B2562/028

  Microscale sensors, e.g. electromechanical sensors [MEMS] · CPC title

• A61B5/1473

  invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter · CPC title

• A61B5/6868

  Brain · CPC title