Implanted Stretch Sensor for Blood Pressure Measurement: Pig Study and Benchtop Evaluation

Accurate and real-time monitoring of blood pressure/flow is crucial for the management of cardiovascular diseases and other conditions that rely on normal blood flow. In this study, we assessed the performance of an implanted stretch sensor in measuring blood pressure around the carotid artery. The experiment was conducted on a bench top phantom and in pig models to evaluate reliability and accuracy in different settings. The study employed a novel flexible pulsation sensor (FPS) designed specifically for implantation around an artery. The FPS was tested in a bench top phantom to simulate the physiological conditions of an artery and implanted around the common carotid artery of young pigs in anesthetized and ambulatory states. The experiments conducted on the bench top phantom confirmed the sensor's functionality and accuracy in a controlled environment. Results from the in-vivo experiments demonstrated that the FPS provided reliable and consistent blood pressure measurements in real-time. The findings of this study indicate that the implanted stretch sensor shows promising potential for continuous blood pressure/flow monitoring.