Implantable passive bio-sensor
OwnerGerald F. Tremblay, David S. Bucklesinventors
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Abstract
An implantable, passive bio-sensor (10) for monitoring internal physiological conditions of a patient is disclosed. The bio-sensor (10) includes at least one sensor or transducer (12) for monitoring a physiological condition of the patient and a passive transponder (14) that receives sensor signals from the sensor or sensors (12), digitizes the sensor signals, and transmits the digitized signals out of the patient's body when subjected to an externally generated interrogation signal. In one embodiment, the bio-sensor (100) is incorporated into the sidewall of a shunt (102) used for treating hydrocephalus for non-invasively monitoring the operation of the shunt (102).
Claims24
A bio-sensor for implantation in a patient, said bio-sensor comprising:
- sensor means for sensing a physiological condition of the patient and for generating a sensor signal representative of the physiological condition;
- and
- a transponder electrically coupled with said sensor means, said transponder including
- processor means for implanatation in the patient and responsive to said sensor means for converting said sensor signal to a digital signal representative of the physiological condition without sending said sensor signal out of the patient's body, and
- transmitting means coupled with said processor means for transmitting said digital signal out of the patient's body, said transmitting means including antenna means for receiving an interrogation signal generated from outside the patient and power converting means coupled with said antenna means for converting the interrogation signal to a power signal for energizing said processor means.
A bio-sensor for implantation in a patient, said bio-sensor comprising:
- a shunt for draining fluid from a portion of a patient's body;
- and
- monitoring means coupled with said shunt for non-invasively monitoring said shunt, said monitoring means including
- sensor means for sensing a physiological condition of the patient and for generating a sensor signal representative of the physiological condition;
- and
- a transponder electrically coupled with said sensor means, said transponder including
- processor means for implantation in the patient and responsive to said sensor means for converting said sensor signal to a digital signal representative of the physiological condition, and
- transmitting means coupled with said processor means for transmitting said digital signal out of the patient's body, said transmitting means including antenna means for receiving an interrogation signal generated from outside the patient and power converting means coupled with said antenna means for converting the interrogation signal to a power signal for energizing said processor means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.