Use of a barrier contact medium for chemo-chemo-optical sensors in transcutaneous applications

A system for patient monitoring and/or ventilation of a patient, comprising:

• a chemo-optical sensor unit, comprising:
• at least one sensing layer adapted to be irradiated with a predetermined radiation;
• at least one gas-permeable layer adjacent to one side of the at least one sensing layer and adapted to pass gas whose concentration is to be measured through the at least one gas-permeable layer towards the at least one sensing layer, wherein:
• a contact medium configured to be positioned between the at least one gas permeable layer and skin, wherein the contact medium comprises a barrier layer which is gas-permeable and impermeable to water and ions;
• and
• at least one photosensitive detector adapted to measure an optical response of the at least one sensing layer to the radiation, wherein the optical response depends on the concentration of the gas;
• and
• at least one of:
• a ventilation device and
• a monitoring device.

A method for conditioning a chemo-optical sensor unit for transcutaneous measurement of a concentration of a gas, comprising:

• contacting the chemo-optical sensor unit with a contact medium comprising a barrier layer which is gas-permeable and impermeable to water and ions;
• irradiating at least one sensing layer of the chemo-optical sensor unit with a predetermined radiation;
• measuring a concentration of a gas adapted to pass through at least one gas-permeable layer of the chemo-optical sensor unit adjacent to one side of the at least one sensing layer, towards the at least one sensing layer, wherein the concentration of the gas is to be measured through the at least one gas-permeable layer, and wherein the chemo-optical sensor unit is adapted to operate with the contact medium is configured to be positioned between the at least one gas-permeable layer and skin;
• and
• measuring an optical response of the at least one sensing layer to the predetermined radiation using at least one photosensitive detector, wherein the optical response depends on the concentration of the gas.