System and method for measuring blood flow parameters in a blood vessel having an endovascular prosthesis

Abstract

An endovascular prosthesis comprising: a conduit formed by a wall structure surrounding a lumen; a sensor element configured to generate an electrical parameter shift in response to a physical event, the sensor element integrated in the wall structure of the conduit, the wall structure includes at least one wire structure, where at least a part of the wire structure include a first metallic conduit, a second metallic conduit, and a sensor disposed between the first metallic conduit and the second metallic conduit, where the first and second metallic conduits are conductors in a monitoring device detecting the electrical parameter shift in the sensor; wherein the sensor is either a variable capacitive sensor, and the first metallic conduit and the second metallic conduit form the electrodes of the variable capacitor; or a variable resistor configured to generate a resistance change in response to the physical event.

1 . An endovascular prosthesis comprising:
 a conduit formed by a wall structure surrounding a lumen; and   a sensor element configured to generate an electrical parameter shift in response to a physical event, the sensor element integrated in the wall structure of the conduit, the wall structure includes at least one wire structure, where at least a part of the wire structure include a first metallic conduit, a second metallic conduit, and a sensor disposed between the first metallic conduit and the second metallic conduit, where the first and second metallic conduits are conductors in a monitoring device detecting the electrical parameter shift in the sensor;   
       wherein the sensor is either:
 a variable capacitive sensor, and the first metallic conduit and the second metallic conduit form the electrodes of the variable capacitor; or 
 a variable resistor configured to generate a resistance change in response to the physical event. 
 
     
     
         2 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 1 , where the sensor comprises a poled PVDF material configured to generate a voltage change in response to the physical event. 
     
     
         3 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 2 , where the sensor is enclosed in an encapsulating layer. 
     
     
         4 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 3 , where the encapsulating layer is a laminate. 
     
     
         5 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 3 , where the encapsulating layer is made of a composite material. 
     
     
         6 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 3 , where the encapsulating layer is formed as layer material selected from polyvinylidene difluoride (“PVDF”), a metal, fluorinated ethylene propylene (“FEP”), polytetrafluoroethylene (“PTFE”), parylene, and expanded PTFE. 
     
     
         7 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 3 , where the encapsulating layer is formed as a laminate structure comprising up to four materials including any combination of titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, tantalum oxide, and silicon nitride. 
     
     
         8 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 3 , where the encapsulating layer is formed as a composite material consisting of any combination of titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, tantalum oxide, and silicon nitride. 
     
     
         9 . An endovascular prosthesis comprising:
 a conduit formed by a wall structure surrounding a lumen;   a sensor element configured to generate an electrical parameter shift in response to a physical event, the sensor element integrated in the wall structure of the conduit, the wall structure comprises at least one strut structure, where at least a part of the strut structure includes a first metallic layer, a second metallic layer; and a sensor disposed between the first metallic layer and the second metallic layer, where the first and second metallic layers are conductors in a monitoring device detecting the electrical parameter shift in the sensor material;   wherein the sensor is either:   a variable capacitive sensor, and the first metallic conduit and the second metallic conduit form the electrodes of the variable capacitor; or   a variable resistor configured to generate a resistance change in response to the physical event.   
     
     
         10 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 9  where the sensor is an insulator for forming a variable capacitive sensor, and the first metallic layer and the second metallic layer form the electrodes of the variable capacitor. 
     
     
         11 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 9 , where the sensor comprises a poled PVDF material configured to generate a voltage change in response to the physical event. 
     
     
         12 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 9 , where the sensor is enclosed in an encapsulating layer. 
     
     
         13 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 12 , where the encapsulating layer is a laminate. 
     
     
         14 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 12 , where the encapsulating layer is made of a composite material. 
     
     
         15 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 12 , where the encapsulating layer is formed as layer material selected from polyvinylidene difluoride (“PVDF”), a metal, fluorinated ethylene propylene (“FEP”), polytetrafluoroethylene (“PTFE”), parylene, and expanded PTFE. 
     
     
         16 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 12 , where the encapsulating layer is formed as a laminate structure comprising up to four materials including any combination of titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, tantalum oxide, and silicon nitride. 
     
     
         17 . The endovascular prosthesis of  claim 12 , where the encapsulating layer is formed as a composite material consisting of any combination of titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, tantalum oxide, and silicon nitride. 
     
     
         18 . A sensor element configured to operate in a monitoring device while integrated in a structure of an endovascular prosthesis, the sensor element comprising: a first metallic part; a second metallic part; and a sensor material formed between the first metallic part and the second metallic part, where the first and second metallic parts are conductors in a monitoring device detecting the electrical parameter shift in the sensor material, and where the first and second metallic parts and the sensor material are integrated with a wall structure of the endovascular prosthesis.