FIBEROPTIC SENSOR FOR CONTINUOUS IN VIVO MG2+ MONITORING

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP AND QUALIFY A CONTINUOUS, MINIATURE, ATRAUMATIC FIBEROPTIC INTRAVENOUS SENSOR AND DISPLAY SYSTEM. THE MOST COMMON USE OF MAGNESIUMTHERAPY IS IN OBSTETRICS, WHERE THE INFUSION RATE OF MGSO4 IS REGULATED BY CLINICAL SIGNS. THE INSTANTANEOUS REGULATION OF MGSO4 INFUSION WILL BE SAFER AND MORE EFFECTIVE WITH IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK ON THE BLOOD MAGNESIUM. A SMALL, INEXPENSIVE, DISPOSABLE, AND CONTINUOUSLY MONITORING MG(2+) SENSOR WOULD BE COST EFFECTIVE, PROVDING VITAL AND IMMEDIATE DIAGNOSTIC AND CLINICAL FEEDBACK. THE SPECIFIC AIMS OF PHASE I ARE TO DEVELOP A MG(2+)-COMPLEXING DYE SYSTEM WITH SUITABLE CHARACTERISTICS, TO DESIGN A MG(2+) FIBEROPTIC SENSOR AND EVALUATE ITS PERFORMANCE, AND TO EVALUATE THE PRACTICALITY OF INSTRUMENTATION AND CALIBRATION OF THE SENSOR. THE LONGER TERM PHASE II WORK WILL INCLUDE FINALIZING THE SENSOR DESIGN, CALIBRATION, AND INSTRUMENTATION AND DEVELOPING MANUFACTURING METHODS FOR HIGH-VOLUME PRODUCTION.