Medical sensor system for detecting a feature in a body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9687182-B2
Application number	US-201113248095-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2011
Priority date	Oct 7, 2010
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a medical sensor system ( 10 ) for detecting a feature ( 12 ), such as an analyte, in a human or animal body. The system ( 10 ) includes at least one sensor ( 14; 34 ) having a reservoir ( 18 ) with a cap ( 16 ) designed as a controllable organic membrane ( 20 ), wherein (for example) application of a voltage of a particular magnitude, or application of a voltage for a particular time, effects a change in the permeability of the membrane ( 20 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating a medical sensor system having:
A. a reservoir having a reservoir interior sample volume and a reservoir exterior,
B. a sensor situated within the reservoir interior sample volume, and
C. a reservoir cap separating the reservoir interior sample volume and the reservoir exterior, wherein the cap is defined by an organic membrane having pores therein, the pores having controllably adjustable pore sizes, the method including the steps of:
a. applying a stimulus to the cap to change it from a closed state wherein the pores are closed, with the cap thereby separating the sample volume from the exterior of the reservoir, to an intermediate state wherein the pores are open to less than their maximum pore sizes, thereby exposing the sample volume to the exterior of the reservoir;
b. obtaining a reference reading from the sensor when the cap is in the intermediate state;
c. applying a stimulus to the cap to change it to a measurement state wherein the pores are open to a desired pore size greater than the pore size at the intermediate state;
d. obtaining a measurement reading from the sensor when the cap is in the measurement state;
e. adjusting the measurement reading in dependence on the reference reading.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the medical sensor system's reservoir interior sample volume is bounded by:
a. the cap;
b. a reservoir base opposite the cap, whereupon the sensor is provided; and
c. reservoir sides extending between the cap and the reservoir base.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the medical sensor system is in combination with a medical implant, wherein the medical sensor is provided on a surface of the medical implant with:
a. the reservoir base situated adjacent the surface of the medical implant, and
b. the cap situated distant from the surface of the medical implant.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the medical sensor system is in combination with one or more of the following implants:
a. a drug delivery system,
b. a stent,
c. a pacemaker,
d. a defibrillator,
e. an artificial valve,
whereupon the medical sensor system is located.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the applied stimulus is electrical.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the membrane is at least partially formed of a material having a changeable redox state.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the membrane is a polymer configured to change its redox state upon the application of electricity.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the polymer includes one or more of:
a. polypyrrole (PPy), and
b. dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (DBS).

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cap is further defined by a carrier structure having apertures of fixed size defined therein, with the organic membrane provided within the apertures.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the organic membrane is configured to change its redox state upon the application of electricity.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the carrier structure has titanium dioxide therein.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the apertures are defined by nanotubes.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the apertures have inner surfaces bearing a conductor thereon.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pores are defined within nanotubes.

15. A method for operating a medical sensor system having a first medical sensor and a second medical sensor in close proximity, each medical sensor including:
A. a reservoir having a reservoir interior sample volume and a reservoir exterior,
B. a sensor situated within the reservoir interior sample volume, and
C. a reservoir cap separating the reservoir interior sample volume and the reservoir exterior, wherein the cap is defined by an organic membrane having pores therein, the pores having controllably adjustable pore sizes,
the method including the steps of:
a. applying a stimulus to the cap of the first medical sensor to change it from a closed state wherein the pores are closed, with the cap thereby separating the sample volume from the exterior of the reservoir, to an intermediate state wherein its pores are open to less than their maximum pore sizes, thereby exposing the sample volume to the exterior of the reservoir;
b. obtaining a reference reading from the sensor of the first medical sensor when the cap of the first medical sensor is in the intermediate state;
c. applying a stimulus to the cap of the second medical sensor to change it from a closed state wherein the pores are closed, with the cap thereby separating the sample volume from the exterior of the reservoir, to a measurement state wherein its pores are open to a desired pore size greater than the pore size of the first medical sensor at the intermediate state, thereby exposing the sample volume to the exterior of the reservoir;
d. obtaining a measurement reading from the sensor of the second medical sensor when its cap is in the measurement state;
e. adjusting the measurement reading in dependence on the reference reading.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the applied stimulus is electrical.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein each medical sensor's membrane is at least partially formed of a material having a changeable redox state.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein each medical sensor's membrane is a polymer configured to change its redox state upon the application of electricity.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein each medical sensor's membrane includes a carrier structure having apertures of fixed size defined therein, with the membrane's pores being situated within the apertures.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the medical sensor system is in combination with one or more of the following implants:
a. a drug delivery system,
b. a stent,
c. a pacemaker,
d. a defibrillator,
e. an artificial valve,
whereupon the first and second medical sensor are located.

Assignees

• Bode Sven
• Bunge Andreas
• Biela Sarah
• Trieu Hoc Khiem
• Biotronik Se & Co Kg

Inventors

• Bode Sven
• Bunge Andreas
• Biela Sarah
• Trieu Hoc Khiem

Classifications

• A61B2562/04

  Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type · CPC title

• A61B2562/028

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

• A61B5/14532

  for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement · CPC title

• A61B5/14535

  for measuring haematocrit · CPC title

• A61B5/14503

  invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors (A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence) · CPC title