Development of an implantable oximetry-based organ perfusion sensor

A sensor system enabling real-time monitoring of organ perfusion following transplantation is presented. This system uses a three wavelength oximetry-based approach. The instrument is intended for implantation at the organ site during transplantation to provide real-time reporting of the perfusion status of the tissue for 7-10 days following the procedure. Data is transmitted from the sensor to a localized receiver using direct sequence spread spectrum techniques at 916 MHz. In this paper, the sensing method and associated electronics implementation are presented. The present status of system miniaturization is summarized along with plans for future miniaturization efforts. Preliminary sensor data is presented demonstrating the efficacy of the technique.