Incorporating Sensors and Diagnostics in Prosthetic Heart Valves

Monitoring heart valve performance using integrated sensors in prosthetic valves to provide real-time data on valve function and patient condition. The valves have sensors at the inflow and outflow ends to measure pressure and transmit wirelessly. This allows continuous monitoring of valve parameters like pressure gradient and blood flow post-surgery to detect issues early. The sensor signals are received externally to track valve health and detect complications.

Embedded sensor system for wireless monitoring of the functional status of implanted heart valves to detect anomalies like leaflet thrombosis, regurgitation, calcification, and malposition. The system uses sensors embedded in heart valves like TAVRs to wirelessly transmit signals containing valve function data. An external device receives the signals, analyzes them, and sends the results to healthcare providers. This allows long-term, remote monitoring of valve health without repeat imaging. The sensors can be pressure, acceleration, or strain sensors positioned on the valve frame, leaflets, or sinuses.

Monitoring prosthetic heart valves in patients after implantation to detect complications and provide remote diagnostics. The valves have integrated sensors to measure parameters like deflection, pressure, and electrical activity. A wireless transmitter sends the data to an external receiver worn by the patient. This allows monitoring outside the hospital to detect issues earlier. The receiver relays the data to a remote care facility for analysis. The valves can also harvest power from blood flow vibrations using laminated piezoelectric-polymer generators.

Monitoring of heart valves, like prosthetic valves, to detect conditions that may affect valve function. The monitoring involves implanting a sensor on the valve that measures flow characteristics. The sensor wirelessly transmits data to an external reader. Analysis of the data using rules sets determines if drug therapy or further intervention is needed. This allows ongoing monitoring of valve function to prevent thrombosis and optimize anticoagulation regimens. The sensor can be self-powered using onboard energy harvesting.

Heart valves with integrated sensors for monitoring valve performance, patient health, and valve integrity. The sensors are placed inside the valve to detect factors like motion, contact, vibration, pressure, flow, chemistry, and temperature. They can transmit data wirelessly for real-time monitoring of valve function, wear, obstruction, infection, regurgitation, and other issues. This allows continuous assessment of valve performance, patient health, and device status. It enables early detection of valve failure, infection, and other complications for timely intervention. The sensors also provide insights into valve-tissue interactions and valve-blood flow dynamics.

Prosthetic heart valve with integrated sensors for monitoring valve performance after implantation. The sensors are designed to attach securely to the stent of the valve in a collapsed state for delivery. The sensors can measure physiological data like pressures and flows to monitor valve function. The sensors have features like finger channels or chamfered heads to attach to the valve stent struts. This allows accurate monitoring of prosthetic valve performance in vivo and helps diagnose issues like leakage or calcification.

Prosthetic heart valves with integrated sensors for monitoring valve function during implantation and post-procedure. The valves have sensors with coils and capacitors that can measure cardiac parameters like blood pressure and flow. The sensors are attached to the valve stent or annulus ring. They acquire data during implantation to assess fit and potential leaks. Post-implant, they monitor valve performance to detect issues like regurgitation. The sensor data can confirm proper functioning or indicate problems like misplacement or leakage. This allows immediate corrective action like repositioning or re-implantation.

Catheter for diagnosing aortic valve stenosis by measuring the pressure gradient across the aortic valve. The catheter has multiple pressure sensors placed in the aorta to measure the pressure before and after the valve. This allows calculation of the pressure drop across the valve which indicates the severity of the stenosis. The synchronized pressure measurement provides an accurate and high-resolution assessment of aortic valve pathology.

Enhanced cardiac imaging and navigation for transcatheter heart valve procedures. The technique involves using a small electrophysiological 3D mapping catheter to create a detailed 3D map of the heart. This map is displayed in real-time during the procedure along with other imaging modalities like echocardiography or fluoroscopy. The combined imaging provides enhanced visualization for accurate positioning and deployment of transcatheter heart valves.

Sensorized heart valve prosthesis for monitoring valve function in vivo. The valve has electrodes in the base to generate an electrical field through the valve lumen. Variations in impedance detected by the electrodes correlate with valve leaflet or disc motion. An internal circuit converts the impedance variations into signals that can be communicated externally for monitoring. This allows remote detection of valve function changes without imaging or invasive tests.

Heart valve prosthesis with integrated sensors for monitoring valve performance and diagnosing issues. The sensors are attached to the valve stent using sutures, hooks, or projections on the sensor body. They can measure physiological parameters like blood pressure, flow, and pressure gradients. The sensors can be collapsible and expandable like the valve stent. This allows direct attachment to the valve frame during implantation. The sensors can also have features like channels, hooks, and projections to facilitate attachment to the stent. This enables accurate measurement of valve function during and after implantation for diagnostic purposes.

Implantable medical devices for more accurate event detection and therapy delivery in the heart and other organs. The devices have multiple sensors to measure physiological parameters like electrocardiogram (ECG), valve motion, flow, pressure, temperature, etc. By integrating these sensors into heart valves, for example, they can provide more specific and reliable detection of heart events like fibrillation, low output, etc. compared to just using ECG. This avoids false positives and unnecessary therapy like shocks. The sensors also allow delivery of therapy like defibrillation to the left heart side that's harder to reach. Other organs like lungs or kidneys can also benefit from multi-parameter monitoring and localized therapy.