Develpment of a Lightweight, Portable, Minimally-Invasive Sensor for the Multi-site Determination and Quantitation of Physiologic Lactate.

EHC will develop and demonstrate feasibility of a biosensor using Wired Enzyme(TM) technology for monitoring lactate levels in battlefield casualties. Lactate level has gained increasing acceptance as the best indicator of patient oxygenation and circulatory shock states. In emergency departments and in intensive care units (ICU), elevated lactate levels have been demonstrated to be highly predicative of hospital admissions and patient mortality. It is ideally suited for rapid patient assessment, as well as an indicator of the effectiveness of interventions. Biosensors will be developed to: (i) diagnose and triage trauma victims; and (ii) evaluate tissue damage, metabolism and prognosis during evacuation, stabilization, resuscitation and treatment. The sensors will interface with portable, battery operated, real-time, display devices and standard computers. The sensors will be capable of multiple site measurements. Wired Enzyme(TM) electrodes provided a greatly improved method for measuring lactate. By electrically connecting lactate oxidase to an electrode via a redox polymer, this recently developed technology, provides safe, accurate measurements using minimally invasive, miniaturized devices. In phase I, we propose to demonstrate the feasibility of using the Wired-Enzyme sensor for use as a battlefield trauma monitor, and to test prototypes in animals to demonstrate its effectiveness.