Fully implantable wireless batteryless vascular electronics with printed soft sensors for multiplex sensing of hemodynamics

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Robert Herbert, Georgia Institute of Technology; Hyo-Ryoung Lim, Pukyong National University; Bruno Rigo, Georgia Institute of Technology; Woon-Hong Yeo, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-05-11
• Publisher: American Scientific Publishers
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: Georgia Institute of Technology
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abm1175
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Science of Advanced Materials
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 19
• Grant/Funding Information: We acknowledge the support of the American Heart Association (grant 19IPLOI34760577), and this work was partially supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under award number (NIH R03EB028928). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. Electronic devices in this work were fabricated at the Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology, a member of the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure, which is supported by the National Science Foundation (grant ECCS-2025462).
• Keywords: multiplex sensing; hemodynamics
• Research Categories: Engineering, Biomedical

Abstract

The continuous monitoring of hemodynamics attainable with wireless implantable devices would improve the treatment of vascular diseases. However, demanding requirements of size, wireless operation, and compatibility with endovascular procedures have limited the development of vascular electronics. Here, we report an implantable, wireless vascular electronic system, consisting of a multimaterial inductive stent and printed soft sensors capable of real-time monitoring of arterial pressure, pulse rate, and flow without batteries or circuits. Developments in stent design achieve an enhanced wireless platform while matching conventional stent mechanics. The fully printed pressure sensors demonstrate fast response times, high durability, and sensing at small bending radii. The device is monitored via inductive coupling at communication distances notably larger than prior vascular sensors. The wireless electronic system is validated in artery models, while minimally invasive catheter implantation is demonstrated in an in vivo rabbit study. Overall, the vascular system offers an adaptable framework for comprehensive monitoring of hemodynamics.