A proof-of-concept real-time processing to characterize vascular flow.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices
• Cardiovascular Monitoring

Background:

• Monitoring vascular flow in arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) is crucial for dialysis access success.
• Current methods like external Doppler require frequent clinical visits.
• There is a need for accessible, robust peripheral blood flow monitoring systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a proof-of-concept for a cost-efficient, wearable vascular flow monitoring system.
• To develop a system for beat-to-beat blood flow capture using impedance plethysmography (IPG).
• To enable embedded, real-time blood flow computation for peripheral monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Utilized impedance plethysmography (IPG) signals to capture beat-to-beat blood flow.
• Developed embedded computing algorithms to map IPG changes to peripheral blood flow.
• Employed custom electrical bioimpedance hardware for data acquisition.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated proof-of-concept for embedded real-time blood flow computing.
• Successfully mapped IPG signals to peripheral blood flow changes.
• Validated the system's capability for robust blood flow monitoring.

Conclusions:

• The developed system offers a cost-efficient alternative to current vascular flow monitoring methods.
• This technology represents a step towards eliminating the need for expensive, specialized equipment.
• Paves the way for a ubiquitous blood flow monitoring system for dialysis patients with AVFs.