Abstract: Disclosed is an esophageal catheter that is capable of simultaneously measuring impedance, hydrostatic pressure and contact pressure in an esophagus from peristaltic waves, esophageal fluid and the transit bolus in a single test episode. Circumferential impedance sensors include sensing electrodes that are oppositely disposed on the circumferential impedance sensor, and reference electrodes that are also oppositely disposed on the circumferential impedance sensor and interspersed between the sensing electrodes. Accurate impedance measurements can be made in this fashion in a transverse direction in the esophagus. A hydrostatic pressure sensor is disposed at the distal tip of the esophageal probe that has a rigid cover to protect the hydrostatic pressure sensor from contact pressures of the esophagus. In this manner, the hydrostatic pressure sensor can provide purely hydrostatic pressure data from the fluids in the esophagus.

Abstract: The lack of safe, reliable, automated and clinically acceptable blood sampling has been the main problem precluding the development of real-time systems for blood analysis and subsequent closed-loop physiological function control. While the analysis of a static blood sample in laboratory conditions has been rapidly advancing in reliability and blood volume reduction, non-invasive real-time blood analysis performed in vivo (while the blood is circulating in the body) has been elusive and unreliable. In this study we propose an innovative idea for semi-invasive blood sampling and analysis, which resembles the operation of a mosquito.

Abstract: A method and a multichannel implantable device are described for partial or complete restoration of impaired gastrointestinal motility, or for disturbing and/or partially or completely blocking normal gastrointestinal motility using one or multiple microsystem-controlled channels of circumferentially arranged sets of two or more electrodes which provide externally-invoked synchronized electrical signals to the smooth muscles via the neural pathways.