Miniaturization of Catheters and Pressure Sensors

本研究将研究开发一种微型导管和安装在导管尖端的高保真硅压力传感器的可行性，该导管适合于通过20克转基因小鼠的股动脉引入，用于测量整个心血管系统的血压和血压变化率（dP/dt）。该传感器将具有高频响应，足以准确再现转基因小鼠的血压波形，心率高达每分钟1,000次，压力变化率高达每秒20,000 mmHg。拟议的传感器将是目前可用的传感器的一半大小，以允许从转基因小鼠中现在无法访问的心血管部位收集数据。为了确定可行性，将使用改良的传感器构建所需尺寸的导管。将测试几种替代设计，并外推数据以确定小型化问题的可解决性。由于许多形式的心脏病是由遗传因素引起或影响的，因此转基因小鼠是首选的研究动物。更完整地描述单个基因对心血管系统的影响，将进一步探索这些疾病的文化，这是美国的主要死因。拟议的商业应用：转基因小鼠在全世界被成千上万的人使用，几个小鼠群体在任何时候都有20，000或更多的小鼠。我们认为，每年销售数百台这种设备，仅就这种特定设备而言，就是经济上的成功。传感器本身可用于其他器械，如导丝，这些器械的潜在应用每年有数万种。

This study will investigate the feasibility of developing a miniature catheter, and a high-fidelity silicon pressure sensor to be mounted at the catheter tip, suitable for introduction through the femoral artery of a 20- gram transgenic mouse for measuring blood pressure and rate of change of blood pressure (dP/dt) throughout cardiovascular system. The sensor will have a high frequency response sufficient for accurate reproduction of transgenic mouse blood pressure waveforms, at heart rates of up to 1,000 beats per minute with pressure change rates of up to 20,000 mmHg per second. The proposed sensor will be half the size of sensors currently available to permit collection of data from cardiovascular sits now inaccessible in the transgenic mouse. To determine feasibility, catheters of the required size will e built with modified sensors. Several alternative designs will be tested and data extrapolated to determine solvability of miniaturization issues. Since many forms of heart disease are caused or affected by genetic factors, the transgenic mouse is the research animal of choice. A more complete description of the effect of a single gene on the cardiovascular system would further the search for cultures of these diseases, the leading cause of death in America. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: Transgenic mice are being used by the thousands throughout the world with several mouse colonies having 20,000 or more mice at any one time. We would consider several hundred of these devices being sold a year as being an economic success for this particular device alone. The sensor itself can be used in other devices, such as wireguides, and the potential application for these devices is many tens of thousands per year.