Low-pressure, fibre Bragg grating pressure sensors for measurement of cerebrospinal fluid pressures associated with spinal cord injury

脊髓损伤（SCI）是一种严重且使人衰弱的疾病，具有重大的个人、社会和经济成本。脊髓损伤期间和之后脊髓与周围脑脊液（CSF）和硬脑膜之间复杂的力学相互作用尚不清楚。本提案中所要求的设备将用于构建一个敏感的、低压范围的光纤布拉格光栅（FBG）压力传感器阵列，该阵列被优化为在动物模型中脊髓损伤之前、期间和之后的高速率体内脑脊液压力测量。在维多利亚大学和不列颠哥伦比亚大学的合作中，我们最近开发并实现了一种基于光纤应变测量的传感器，用于测量0至3mpa范围内的椎间盘压力。尺寸小（直径400µm），机械合规性，抗电磁干扰和生物相容性，使该设备成为生物医学应用的理想选择。目前的研究将利用一个多传感器阵列，改进光源和检测方案，将其能力扩展到脊髓液压力测量所需的亚千帕压力范围，并提高测量速度。通过研究脊髓损伤后数小时及脊髓手术减压过程中损伤部位上下的脑脊液压力变化，将为临床医生研究脑脊液引流用于脊髓灌注管理的可行性提供重要信息。此外，通过测量与脊髓损伤相关的脑脊液压力，我们将为基础科学界提供重要信息，告知和定义目前没有考虑急性脊髓损伤时脑脊液与脊髓和硬脑膜相互作用的脊髓损伤动物模型、合成模型和计算模型的局限性。

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is severe and debilitating with significant personal, social and economic costs. The complex mechanical interactions between the spinal cord and the surrounding cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and dura both during and after SCI are not well understood. The equipment requested in this proposal will be used to construct a sensitive, low pressure range, Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) pressure sensor array which is optimized for the high-rate measurement of in vivo CSF pressure prior to, during, and after an SCI in an animal model.In a collaboration between the University of Victoria and University of British Columbia, we have recently developed and implemented a sensor based on fibre-optic strain measurement, for the measurement of intervertebral disc pressures in the range of 0 to 3 MPa. The small size (400 µm diameter), mechanical compliance, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and biocompatibility, make this device ideal for biomedical applications. The current research will utilize a multi-sensor array with an improved light source and detection scheme which will extend its capabilities to the sub-kPa pressure range required for spinal fluid pressure measurement and improve the speed with which it can be measured.By studying the CSF pressure variation above and below the injury site in the hours following SCI, and during surgical decompression of the spinal cord we will provide important information to clinicians studying the feasibility of CSF drainage for spinal cord perfusion management. Also, By measuring the CSF pressure associated with spinal cord injury, we will provide important information to the basic science community, to inform and define the limitations of current animal, synthetic and computational models of SCI which do not currently consider the CSF interaction with the spinal cord and dura during acute SCI.