A flexible polymer tube lab-chip integrated with microsensors for smart microcatheter

A flexible polymer tube lab-chip integrated with physical and biochemical sensor modules mounted on a flexible spiral structure for measuring physiological (temperature/flow rate) and metabolic data (glucose concentration) in a catheter application was designed, fabricated and characterized in this work. This new approach not only provides a unique way to assemble multiple sensors on both the inside and outside the flexible polymer tube using standard microfabrication methods while avoiding wiring and assembling problems associated with previous methods, but also maintains catheter inherent lumen potency for in situ drug delivery or insertion of medical tools. Three well-known sensors: temperature sensor (RTD), flow rate sensor (hot film anemometry) and glucose biosensor (amperometric sensor) have been successfully fabricated and fully integrated outside the spirally rolled polymer tube (ID = 500 μm, OD = 650 μm) of this demonstration device. The fabricated sensors showed good performances not only in a planar configuration but also in a spirally rolled configuration. This flexible micro tube lab-chip system provides a generic platform for developing patient-specific “smart” microcatheters that incorporate microsensors, microactuators, microfluidic devices and wireless signal communication modules that are tailored for the patients’ unique condition.

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