Modeling of an implantable device for remote arterial pressure measurement

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of illness and death in Europe, having a major impact on healthcare costs. An intelligent stent (e-stent), capable of obtaining and transmitting measurements of physiological parameters, can be a useful tool for real-time monitorization of arterial blockage without patient hospitalization. In this paper, a behavioral model of a pressure sensing-based e-stent is proposed and simulated under several restenosis conditions. Special attention has been given to the need of an accurate fault model, obtained from realistic finite-element simulations, to ensure long-term reliability; particularly for those faults whose behavior cannot be described by usual analytical models.