Development of a balloon volume sensor for pulsating balloon catheters

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Devices
• Medical Instrumentation

Background:

• Helium pulsed balloons are critical for cardiovascular devices like intraaortic balloon pumps (IABP) and respiratory support catheters.
• Inadequate balloon inflation can compromise patient respiratory or cardiac support.
• Accurate real-time volume measurement is needed for these pulsating balloon systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a dynamic balloon volume sensor system (DBVSS) for accurately measuring helium balloon volumes in pulsating cardiovascular devices.
• To adapt spirographic techniques for real-time volume assessment in rapidly pulsating balloon catheters.
• To ensure reliable device function by detecting and correcting for conditions affecting balloon inflation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized hot wire anemometry to measure helium flow within the drive line connecting the console to the catheter.
• Integrated helium flow measurements to calculate the volume delivered during each balloon pulsation.
• Developed an algorithm to automatically detect and adjust for signal variations caused by helium leaks and changing gas composition.

Main Results:

• The DBVSS accurately measured balloon volumes within 5-10% of actual volumes across various operating conditions.
• The system demonstrated reliability with helium concentrations ranging from 70-100%.
• Performance was validated under diverse conditions, including high pulsation frequencies (120-480 bpm) and simulated clinical challenges like restricted flow.

Conclusions:

• The developed DBVSS provides accurate and dynamic balloon volume measurement for cardiovascular devices.
• This system enhances the reliability of helium-pulsed balloon devices, ensuring optimal patient support.
• The DBVSS is suitable for clinical applications involving intraaortic balloon pumps and novel respiratory support catheters.