Implantable Automatic Wireless Intracranial Pressure Monitoring System and Method

Abstract

A system for implantable automatic wireless intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is disclosed, including a control device and an implantable pressure transducer assembly. The implantable pressure transducer assembly is configured to be partially implanted in a skull of an individual being monitored, and the control device communicates and transfers data with the implantable pressure transducer assembly in a wireless manner. The system for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring can achieve easy and rapid ICP monitoring and entails a one-to-multiple mode in which multiple individuals can be simultaneously monitored by the single system based on wireless communications in WiFi, Bluetooth or a non-standard protocol.

Claims

1. A system for implantable automatic wireless intracranial pressure monitoring, comprising a control device and a plurality of implantable pressure transducer assemblies each configured to be partially implanted in a skull of a corresponding one of a plurality of individuals being monitored, wherein: the control device wirelessly communicates and transfers data with the plurality of implantable pressure transducer assemblies, and each of the plurality of implantable pressure transducer assemblies comprises: a wireless transmission control unit; a flexible tube in connection with the wireless transmission control unit; and an implantable section in connection with the flexible tube, the implantable section having a pressure transducer which produces measurements in the form of digital signals disposed at one end thereof, the pressure transducer coupled to the wireless transmission control unit via a data cable which carries said measurements in the form of digital signals, the data cable inserted within an internal lumen provided by the flexible tube and the implantable section.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission control unit is disposed external to the skull and comprises a first controller as well as a first power supply and a first wireless transmission module connected to the first controller.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the first wireless transmission module is a WiFi, or other wireless transmission module.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a second controller as well as a second power supply, a data memory, control buttons, a display and a second wireless transmission module connected to the second controller.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the second wireless transmission module is a WiFi, or other wireless transmission module.

6. (canceled)

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the pressure transducer is a miniature high-precision pressure transducer having a diameter of smaller than 2 mm.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of implantable pressure transducer assemblies further comprises a temperature transducer, the temperature transducer being coupled to the wireless transmission control unit and disposed within the implantable section.

9. A method for implantable automatic wireless intracranial pressure monitoring using the system as defined in claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: 1) activating the control device and sequentially requesting and checking wireless signals from the implantable pressure transducer assemblies; 2) activating the implantable pressure transducer assemblies to obtain intracranial pressure measurements and transmit the intracranial pressure measurements as out-bound wireless signals; 3) determining by the control device whether the intracranial pressure measurements are normal and producing an alarm upon detection of an abnormal intracranial pressure measurement; and 4) determining whether to terminate the monitoring process, if yes, terminate the monitoring process, and if no, return to step 1).

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein step 2) further comprises obtaining intracranial temperature measurements.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein step 3) comprises separately determining, by the control device, whether intracranial pressures of the plurality of individuals being monitored exceed a normal range based on the intracranial pressure measurements transmitted from the implantable pressure transducer assemblies.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The present invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to a description of several specific embodiments, which is to be read in conjunction with the following accompanying drawings, in which:

[0040] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a pressure transducer assembly in an existing system for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring;

[0041] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a pressure transducer assembly in a system for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring according to the present invention;

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a one-to-one configuration embodiment of the system for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring according to the present invention;

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a one-to-multiple configuration embodiment of the system for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring according to the present invention;

[0044] FIG. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of a wireless transmission control unit according to the present invention; and

[0045] FIG. 6 is a schematic circuit diagram of a control device according to the present invention;

[0046] FIG. 7 is a flow chart graphically illustrating a method for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiment 1

[0047] As shown in FIG. 3, a system for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring according to the present invention includes a control device and an implantable pressure transducer assembly implanted in the skull of an individual being monitored. The control device communicates and transfers data with the implantable pressure transducer assembly in a wireless manner

[0048] As shown in FIG. 2, the implantable pressure transducer assembly includes wireless transmission control unit 6, a flexible tube 10 in connection with the control unit 6, and an implantable section 7 connected to the flexible tube 10. A pressure transducer 9 disposed at one end of the implantable section 7 is coupled to the control unit 6 via a data cable 8, and the data cable 8 is inserted within an internal lumen provided by the flexible tube 10 and the implantable section 7.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 5, in the system for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring according to the present invention, the wireless transmission control unit 6 is arranged external to the skull and incorporates a controller and, connected to the controller, a battery and a wireless transmission module.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 6, in the system for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring according to the present invention, the control device includes a controller and, connected to the controller, a power supply, a data memory, control buttons, a display and a wireless transmission module.

[0051] The wireless transmission modules of FIGS. 5 and 6 may be WiFi, Blue-tooth or a non-standard wireless transmission module.

[0052] Preferably, in the system for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring according to the present invention, the pressure transducer is a miniature high-precision pressure transducer having a diameter of less than 2 mm

[0053] Preferably, in the system for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring according to the present invention, the implantable pressure transducer assembly further includes a temperature transducer (as shown in FIG. 5) which is coupled to the wireless transmission control unit and disposed inside the implantable section.

Embodiment 2

[0054] This Embodiment differs from Embodiment 1 only in that the system for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention includes the control device and a plurality of implantable pressure transducer assemblies (as shown in FIG. 4) each implanted in the skull of a corresponding one of a plurality of individuals being monitored.

Embodiment 3

[0055] As shown in FIG. 7, a method for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring is also disclosed in the present invention, including the steps of:

[0056] 1) activating the control device and sequentially requesting and checking wireless signals from the implantable pressure transducer assemblies;

[0057] 2) activating the implantable pressure transducer assemblies to obtain ICP measurements and transmit them as out-bound wireless signals;

[0058] 3) determining by the control device whether the ICP measurements are normal and producing an alarm upon detection of any abnormal measurement; and

[0059] 4) determining whether to terminate the monitoring process, if yes, determinate the process, and if no, return to step 1).

[0060] Preferably, in the method for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring according to the present invention, step 2) further includes obtaining intracranial temperature measurements, and determining by the control device whether the ICP measurements are out of an normal range in step 3) refers to that the control device separately or sequentially determines whether the ICPs of the individuals exceed the normal range based on the ICP measurements transmitted from the implantable pressure transducer assemblies.

[0061] Despite their similar shapes, the implantable pressure transducer assembly according to the present invention have the following significant differences from the existing product shown in FIG. 1:

[0062] 1) the transducer according to the present invention is a miniature pressure transducer, which operate differently from the optical pressure transducer in the exiting product, and produces measurements in the form of digital signals transmitted in a data cable, which are more sensitive and more accurate than the analog signals transmitted in the optical fibers of the exiting product;

[0063] 2) the implantable pressure transducer assembly according to the present invention has a smaller overall size and uses a very short flexible tube and wireless transmission control unit which communicates wirelessly and does not need to be inserted in the control device, allowing movements of the individual being monitored in an significantly expanded range; and

[0064] 3) multiple implantable pressure transducer assemblies according to the present invention can be connected to the control device and communicate therewith in one of several suitable wireless communication protocols.

[0065] In addition, the system and method for implantable automatic wireless ICP monitoring according to the present invention offer the additional advantages as follows:

[0066] 1) Easy and Rapid Monitoring

[0067] Use of other (invasive) monitoring systems must be made in operating rooms and is limited to specialists. Additionally, the individual being monitored is not allowed to move freely due to the wired connections to the monitoring system.

[0068] In contrast, use of the present invention enables easy and rapid monitoring of the ICP of a patient based on wireless communications between the external control device and the wireless transmission control unit inside the implantable pressure transducer assembly which has been implanted in the skull of the patient by a minor surgical procedure. With this design, the monitoring can be accomplished in an automatic manner simply by manipulating several press buttons to activate automatic operation of the system, whenever and wherever as needed, for example, at home or in a ward at any time, without temporal or spatial limitations and without needing to be manipulated by a specialist.

[0069] 2) High Accuracy

[0070] Use of the miniature high-precision pressure transducer for pressure measurements enables high-accuracy data transmission in the form of wireless digital signals.

[0071] 3) High Applicability

[0072] The wireless communications with the external control device allows the individual being monitored to move in a rather large range, making it possible to be used in long-term continuous monitoring applications.

[0073] 4) High Monitoring Efficiency

[0074] Significant improvements in monitoring efficiency can be achieved by using the single monitoring system to monitor multiple individuals based on communications between one control device and multiple pressure transducer assemblies in a wireless communication protocol properly selected from WiFi, Bluetooth and a non-standard protocol.

[0075] The Embodiments described above are several preferred embodiments of the present invention which are not intended to limit the invention and are susceptible to various modifications and changes by those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that any alternations, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and scope of the present invention are all considered to fall within the scope of protection of the invention.