A wireless implantable sensory ring for continuous airway stent migration tracking

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Central airway obstruction (CAO) management relies on airway stents, but complications like migration necessitate frequent monitoring.
• Current monitoring methods, such as bronchoscopy and CT scans, are invasive, costly, or involve radiation exposure.
• There is a need for safe, continuous, and real-time monitoring solutions for airway stents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a wirelessly powered sensory ring for real-time monitoring of airway stent position and orientation.
• To assess the system's accuracy and potential for detecting airway deformation.
• To provide a non-invasive, long-term surveillance alternative to current monitoring techniques.

Main Methods:

• Integration of a magnetic sensor and wireless power system into a sensory ring for airway stents.
• Utilizing an external wearable magnetic field generation system for stent localization.
• Wireless power transfer via a charging coil for sustained operation.
• Validation of tracking accuracy (0.5 mm, 2.2 degrees) and temporal resolution (0.2 Hz).

Main Results:

• The developed system accurately tracks airway stent position and orientation in real-time.
• Achieved high tracking accuracy of 0.5 mm and 2.2 degrees.
• Demonstrated the capability to detect airway deformation, indicating potential for sensing pathological changes.

Conclusions:

• The wireless sensory ring offers a safe and effective method for continuous, real-time monitoring of airway stents.
• This technology eliminates the need for radiation-based imaging or repeated bronchoscopies.
• The platform is adaptable for monitoring stents in other organs, such as the esophagus.