Method for integrating facilitated blood flow and blood analyte monitoring
A method for the integrated facilitization of blood flow and monitoring of blood analyte concentration (for example, blood glucose concentration) includes implanting a stent configured to facilitate blood flow into a cardiovascular system of a user's body with the stent having attached thereto a continuous blood analyte determination module of a blood analyte monitoring system. The method also includes disposing a reader module of the blood analyte monitoring system external to the user's body and in proximity to a portion of the user's skin layer and monitoring blood analyte concentration via (i) emitting an RF carrier signal from the reader module toward the stent; (ii) receiving the RF carrier signal at a reflection antenna of the continuous blood analyte determination module; (iii) reflecting a modulated signal by the reflection antenna with the modulated signal being encoded with a blood analyte concentration determined by a sensor of the continuous blood analyte determination module; (iv) receiving the modulated signal by the reader module; and (v) decoding the analyte concentration from the modulated signal by the reader module.
1. A method for the integrated facilitization of blood flow and monitoring of blood analyte concentration comprising:
implanting a stent configured for implantation into a cardiovascular system of a user's body, the stent having a longitudinal centerline and configured to facilitate blood flow, the stent having attached thereto a continuous blood analyte determination module of a blood analyte monitoring system;
disposing a reader module of the blood analyte monitoring system external to the user's body and in proximity to a portion of the user's skin layer;
monitoring a blood analyte concentration using the reader module and the continuous blood analyte determination module,
wherein the monitoring step is accomplished by:
emitting an RF carrier signal from a first antenna of the reader module toward the stent;
receiving the RF carrier signal at a reflection antenna of the continuous blood analyte determination module;
reflecting a modulated signal by the reflection antenna wherein the modulated signal is encoded with a blood analyte concentration determined by a sensor of the continuous blood analyte determination module;
receiving the modulated signal by a second antenna of the reader module; and
decoding the analyte concentration from the modulated signal by the reader module; and
wherein the first antenna and second antenna are configured such that an RF carrier signal angle β and a modulated signal angle α are both less than about 30 degrees with respect to the stent center line.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the reader module emits an RF carrier signal that is essentially perpendicular to the portion of the user's skin layer.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the implanting step implants the stent such that the longitudinal centerline is essentially perpendicular to the portion of the user's skin layer.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first antenna is separated from the second antenna by a distance in the range of about 5 millimeters to about 50 millimeters.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disposing step is accomplished by disposing the reader module immediately adjacent to the portion of the user's skin layer.
6. A method for the integrated facilitization of blood flow and monitoring of blood analyte concentration comprising:
implanting a stent configured for implantation into a cardiovascular system of a user's body, the stent having a longitudinal centerline and configured to facilitate blood flow, the stent having attached thereto a continuous blood analyte determination module of a blood analyte monitoring system;
disposing a reader module of the blood analyte monitoring system external to the user's body and in proximity to a portion of the user's skin layer;
monitoring a blood analyte concentration using the reader module and the continuous blood analyte determination module,
wherein the monitoring step is accomplished by:
emitting an RF carrier signal from the reader module toward the stent;
receiving the RF carrier signal at a reflection antenna of the continuous blood analyte determination module;
reflecting a modulated signal by the reflection antenna wherein the modulated signal is encoded with a blood analyte concentration determined by a sensor of the continuous blood analyte determination module;
receiving the modulated signal by a second antenna of the reader module; and
decoding the analyte concentration from the modulated signal by the reader module; and
wherein the first antenna and second antenna are configured such that an RF carrier signal angle β and a modulated signal angle α are both approximately 90 degrees with respect to the stent center line.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the implanting step implants the stent such that the longitudinal centerline is essentially parallel to the portion of the user's skin layer.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the first antenna is separated from the second antenna by a distance in the range of about 5 millimeters to about 50 millimeters.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the disposing step is accomplished by disposing the reader module immediately adjacent to the portion of the user's skin layer.