A Low-cost, Intravascular Ultrasound Transducer System for Measuring Blood Flow

描述（由申请人提供）：在美国，每年进行超过一百万例微创手术以保护血流-血管成形术、支架置入术、血栓切除术。该计划的目标是提供在这些程序期间和之后测量这些血管中的血流量的方法，这是现在不可能的。我们开发了一种新的血流测量组件，可以集成到微创介入设备中。在手术过程中，它向操作者提供关于恢复血流成功的定量反馈;手术后，它可以作为留置电极导线保留，以测量术后血流。它的低功耗要求也使其适合长期植入使用-一个小型植入单元，如起搏器，可以监测流量，并在血流下降需要干预时无线发送警报。血管内血流测量装置是一种新开发的、独特的超声换能器系统。该设计利用了衍射光栅传感器的原理，已被证明可以准确地测量血流量。已经发明了一种特殊的配置以使换能器适合于血管内用途：该换能器上的电极以螺旋状缠绕在杆上，就像螺纹一样。这种设计有几个优点：它允许压电塑料在高频率下使用，从而降低功率要求;使用压电塑料使轻便灵活的设备成为可能;易于连接;重要的是，制造成本低廉。该项目的第一阶段是通过制造这些传感器并证明其在测试模型中的能力来证明这一概念，然后通过微创手段将其放置在活体动物中并证明成功的血流测量。公共卫生相关性：该项目的目标是开发一种血管内装置，用于在改善或恢复血流的手术期间和之后测量血流。通过监测血流并提醒护理人员注意问题，它可以防止血流过少的严重后果。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Over a million minimally invasive procedures to preserve blood flow - angioplasties, stent placements, thrombectomies - are performed each year in the United States. The goal of this program is to provide means of measuring blood flow in these vessels during and after these procedures, something now not possible. We have developed a new blood-flow measuring component that can be integrated into minimally invasive interventional devices. During the procedure, it provides quantitative feedback to the operator on success in restoring blood flow; after the procedure, it can be remain as an indwelling lead to measure blood flow post-operatively. Its low power requirement also makes it suitable for long-term implantable use -- a small implanted unit, like a pacemaker, can monitor flow and wirelessly communicate an alert when declining blood flow demands intervention. This intravascular blood-flow measuring device is a newly developed, unique ultrasound transducer system. The design utilizes the principle of diffraction-grating transducers, which have been proven to measure blood flow accurately. A special configuration has been invented to make the transducer suitable for intravascular use: the electrodes on this transducer are wound around a rod, in helices, like a screw thread. This design has several advantages: it allows piezoplastics to be used at high frequencies, leading to low power requirements; use of piezoplastics makes a light, flexible device possible; it is easy to connect to; and, importantly, it is inexpensive to fabricate. Phase I of this project is to prove the concept by fabricating these transducers and demonstrating their capabilities in test phantoms, followed by placing one by minimally invasive means in a living animal and demonstrating successful blood flow measurement. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The goal of this program is to develop an intravascular device to measure blood flow during and after operations that improve or restore blood flow. By monitoring blood flow and alerting caregivers to a problem, it can prevent the serious consequences of too little flow of blood.