APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR NON-INVASIVE PRESSURE MEASUREMENT OF A FLUID CONFINED IN A VESSEL WITH ELASTIC OR RIGID WALLS FITTED WITH AN ELASTIC WINDOW

摘要

The present application discloses an apparatus and method for the non-invasive and continuous measurement of the internal pressure of a fluid confined in a vessel with elastic or rigid walls or fitted with an elastic window in the wall. The apparatus is based on a vibrator- accelerometer combination, mounted on a common support, which enables the accelerometer to sense the vibrations produced. The method for pressure measurement relies on the amplitude modulation effect that occurs when the fluid pressure transmitted through the vessel wall or window attenuates the vibrator oscillations, sensed by the accelerometer. This technology further comprise: 1) a method of simultaneously estimating the morphology of the pressure wave and other related parameters such as vessel wall compliance, distension and distension dynamics and 2) method of calibrating the estimated pressure waveform based on the re-establishment of the attenuation to a predefined reference amplitude value whatever the force exerted on the vessel wall may be. Although some other possible applications can be found, its main focus is the non- invasive assessment of arterial blood pressure and arterial pressure waveform, in humans.