An impedance sensor to monitor and control cerebral ventricular volume

This paper presents a sensor for monitoring and controlling the volume of the cerebrospinal fluid-filled ventricles of the brain. The measurement principle of the sensor exploits electrical conductivity differences between the cerebrospinal fluid and the brain tissue. The electrical contrast was validated using dog brain tissue. Experiments with prototype sensors accurately measured the volume content of elastically deformable membranes and gel phantoms with conductivity properties made to match human brain. The sensor was incorporated into a fully automatic feedback control system designed to maintain the ventricular volume at normal levels. The experimental conductivity properties were also used to assess the sensor performance in a simulated case of hydrocephalus. The computer analysis predicted voltage drops over the entire range of ventricular size changes with acceptable positional dependence of the sensor electrodes inside the ventricular space. These promising experimental and computational results of the novel impedance sensor with feedback may serve as the foundation for improved therapeutic options for hydrocephalic patients relying on volume sensing, monitoring or active feedback control.