SELF-CALIBRATING IN VIVO BLOOD GAS, PH, AND ELECTROLYTE MONITOR

CONTINUOUS BLOOD GAS AND PH MONITORING DEVICES DEVELOPED OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS HAVE FAILED, PRIMARILY DUE TO LACK OFSTABILITY AND THE ASSOCIATED DEPENDENCY ON THE CLINICAL LABORATORY FOR CALIBRATION. DEVELOPMENT OF A CONTINUOUS ELECTROLYTE MONITOR, OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE FOR NEONATAL AND INFANT MONITORING APPLICATIONS, HAS NOT BEEN ATTEMPTED. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A COMMERCIALLY VIABLE, CONTINUOUS BLOOD GAS, PH, AND ELECTROLYTE MONITOR THAT UTILIZES A SELF-CALIBRATION MECHANISM AND EXISTING SENSOR TECHNOLOGY, CAN MAINTAIN LEVELS OF ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY EQUAL OR SUPERIOR TO AND INDEPENDENT OF THE CLINICAL LABORATORY, AND IS COST EFFECTIVE. CONCEPT FEASIBILITY FOR MONITORING BY THIS PRINCIPLE AS WELLAS THE SUPPORTING SENSOR TECHNOLOGY FOR GASES AND IONS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. WHAT REMAINS TO BE DEMONSTRATED IS THAT ASUITABLE MEMBRANE CAN BE DEVELOPED SO THAT PH AND ELECTROLYTES CAN ALSO BE MONITORED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH BLOODGASES. THEREFORE, THIS PROJECT IS DIRECTED TOWARD ESTABLISHING THATA GAS- AND ION-PERMEABLE MEMBRANE CAN BE DEVELOPED, HAVING ION (AND GAS) DIFFUSIVITIES AND RESISTANCE TO PROTEINFOULING AND CLOTTING THAT MEET THE SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE BLOOD GAS, PH, AND ELECTROLYTE MONITOR.