Invasive biological stress sensing

According to CDC estimates, there are approximately 1.7 million Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) annually in the United States alone, including those to soldiers and athletes. In 2010, medical costs associated with TBIs were estimated to be $76.5 billion. Depending on the severity, TBI can result in mental, cognitive, social and behavioral impairments and is a major cause of death and disability. Management strategies for TBI include monitoring physiological parameters to minimize secondary injury, which improves patient outcome, especially when coupled with therapeutic intervention. Unfortunately, current monitors require invasive surgery, introducing more trauma to patients with pre-existing trauma. Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a novel percutaneous sensor that continuously measures biochemical or molecular markers related to stress. This sensor is minimally invasive and can monitor multiple biomarkers simultaneously. Moreover, this sensor is highly sensitive, highly specific and relatively easy to use, allowing for effective monitoring of stress markers in TBI patients. This novel multifunctional sensor with its high performance and quick response time allows for better post-admission or post-hospitalization monitoring of TBI patients and may dramatically reduce the incidence of long-term TBI-related side effects. Potential Applications Physiologic monitoring of biomarkers related to: Traumatic Brain Injury - to indicate progress and current state Dehydration Stress Heart dysfunction Benefits and Advantages Fast response time Multi-marker integrated High sensitivity & specificity Low cost User friendly Able to wirelessly communicate and interface with drug delivery devices Dowload Original PDF For more information about the inventor(s) and their research, please see Dr. La Belle's laboratory webpage