Devices, systems and methods for using and monitoring medical devices
Medical devices are provided, comprising a medical device and a sensor.
1. A method for determining an infection associated with a breast implant, comprising the steps of a) providing to a subject a breast implant implanted within the subject, wherein said breast implant comprises a sensor module, the sensor module comprising a sensor channel and a communication interface coupled to the sensor channel, wherein the sensor module comprises a sensor selected from at least one temperature sensor and/or metabolic sensor, and b) detecting a change in said temperature sensor and/or metabolic sensor, and determining the presence of an infection associated with the breast implant based on the detected change.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor is a microelectromechanical sensor (MEMS).
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor module further includes one or more of the following sensors: fluid pressure sensors, fluid volume sensors, contact sensors, position sensors, pulse pressure sensors, blood volume sensors, blood flow sensors, accelerometers, and mechanical stress sensors.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor module further includes an accelerometer and/or a gyroscope.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the breast implant further comprises a battery to provide power to the sensor module.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the breast implant further comprises a power supply coupled to the sensor channel and to the communication interface and configured to receive energy wirelessly.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor module is located within the breast implant.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the breast implant further comprises a memory to store data from said temperature sensor and/or metabolic sensor.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising further comprising storing data from said temperature sensor and/or metabolic sensor in a memory located within the breast implant.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising wirelessly transmitting data obtained from said temperature sensor and/or metabolic sensor to a device located outside of the subject.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising analyzing said data.
12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of detecting is a series of detections over time.
13. The method according to claim 1 wherein said change is greater than a 1% change over the period of one hour.
14. The method according to claim 1 wherein said change is a continually increasing temperature and/or metabolic activity over the course of 4 hours.