Intelligent Ureteral Stent Placeable via Standard Procedure for Kidney Pressure Telemetry: An Ex-Vivo Study

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices
• Urology

Background:

• Ureteral stents are crucial for managing urinary tract issues.
• Early detection of hydronephrosis and ureteral obstruction is vital for patient outcomes.
• Current monitoring methods lack real-time, in-situ capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and test the first telemetric ureteral stent for wireless sensing.
• To enable early detection of ureteral obstruction and hydronephrosis.
• To assess the stent's compatibility with standard clinical procedures.

Main Methods:

• Prototyping a sensor-integrated ureteral stent using polymeric double-J stent and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology.
• Embedding micro pressure sensors and a radiofrequency antenna for wireless monitoring (40-50 MHz).
• Encapsulating the device in Parylene-C for biocompatibility and electrical insulation.

Main Results:

• The intelligent stent demonstrated wireless kidney pressure monitoring in an ex-vivo swine model.
• Ex-vivo tests showed good agreement with in-vitro results for pressure sensitivity.
• Wireless pressure tracking achieved a response of 1.3 kHz/mmHg up to 37 mmHg, covering chronic obstruction pressure ranges.

Conclusions:

• The telemetric ureteral stent is compatible with standard placement techniques.
• The device shows potential for early detection of ureteral obstruction and hydronephrosis.
• This intelligent stent offers a practical solution for real-time, wireless monitoring in clinical settings.