Medical devices

Abstract

There is disclosed a medical device for implantation in a body comprising: one or more sensors for sensing a physiologically or clinically relevant parameter; and telemetric communications means for telemetrically transmitting data related to a parameter sensed by the one or more sensors to a remote device.

1 - 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A system for monitoring a patient comprising:
 a medical device adapted to be implanted in a body comprising at least two spaced apart implantable pressure sensors for sensing blood pressure and an implantable RFID device coupled to the implantable pressure sensors for receiving data related to the blood pressures sensed by the implantable pressure sensors in which the medical device is implanted in an extravascular configuration wherein the sensors are out of direct contact with the blood; and   a remote device adapted for positioning exterior of the body for sending a signal to the RFID device to cause the RFID device to telemetrically transmit the data.   
     
     
         39 . A system according to  claim 38  in which the remote device is adapted to provide power remotely to the RFID device. 
     
     
         40 . A system according to  claim 38  in which the remote device comprises memory for storing data transmitted by the RFID device. 
     
     
         41 . A system according to any of  claim 38  in which the remote device comprises data analysis means for performing a physiologically relevant analysis of the data transmitted by the RFID device. 
     
     
         42 . A system according to any of  claim 38  in which the remote device comprises data transmission means. 
     
     
         43 . A system according to any of  claim 38  further comprising a data storage device which is separate to the remote device, in which the remote device comprises means to write data on the data storage device. 
     
     
         44 . A system according to  claim 43  in which the data storage device is a card having a magnetic data storage area, a DVD, a CD or another disc storage medium. 
     
     
         45 . A medical device for implantation in a body comprising:
 an implantable piezoelectric sensor comprising a polymeric active sensing area which senses blood pressure, the polymeric active sensing area being flexible, the implantable piezoelectric sensor adapted to be implanted in an extravascular configuration wherein the sensors are out of direct contact with the blood; and   an implantable RFID device electrically connected to the sensor for receiving and telemetrically transmitting data related to the blood pressure sensed by the sensor to a remote device exterior of the body in response to the remote device transmitting a signal to the RFID device.   
     
     
         46 . A system for monitoring a patient comprising:
 a medical device adapted for implantation in a body comprising at least two spaced apart implantable pressure sensors for sensing blood pressure and an implantable RFID device coupled to the implantable pressure sensors for receiving data related to the blood pressures sensed by the implantable pressure sensors in which the medical device is adapted to be implanted in an extravascular configuration wherein the sensors are out of direct contact with the blood;   means for calculating an instantaneous blood velocity from a difference in the blood pressures sensed by the blood pressure sensors using Bernoulli's equations; and   a remote device adapted for positioning exterior of the body for sending a signal to the RFID device to cause the RFID device to telemetrically transmit the data.   
     
     
         47 . A medical device according to  claim 45  in which the implantable piezoelectric sensor has a thickness ranging from between 60 to 110 microns. 
     
     
         48 . A medical device according to  claim 45  in which the polymeric active sensing area comprises PVDF. 
     
     
         49 . A method for monitoring blood pressure of a patient comprising:
 providing an implantable medical device comprising at least two spaced apart implantable pressure sensors for sensing blood pressure within a body, and an implantable telemetric communication means comprising an RFID device coupled to the implantable pressure sensors for telemetrically transmitting data relating to the blood pressures sensed by the pressure sensors to a remote device;   implanting the medical device in the patient's body in an extravascular configuration wherein the sensors are out of direct contact with the blood;   sensing blood pressure within the body using the implanted pressure sensors; and   telemetrically transmitting data related to the blood pressure sensed by the implantable pressures sensors to a remote device.   
     
     
         50 . A method according to  claim 49  in which the remote device is adapted to provide power remotely to the RFID device. 
     
     
         51 . A method according to  claim 49  in which the remote device comprises memory for storing the data transmitted by the RFID device. 
     
     
         52 . A method according to any of  claim 49  in which the remote device comprises data analysis means for performing a physiologically relevant analysis of the data transmitted by the RFID device. 
     
     
         53 . A method according to any of  claim 49  in which the remote device comprises data transmission means. 
     
     
         54 . A method according to any of  claim 49  further comprising a data storage device which is separate to the remote device, in which the remote device comprises means to write data on the data storage device. 
     
     
         55 . A method according to  claim 54  in which the data storage device is a card having a magnetic data storage area, a DVD, a CD or another disc storage medium.