Evaluation of a newly designed endoscope for observing inner wall of large arteries for the use of endovascular intervention.

A prototype endoscope for observing inner wall of large arteries was specially designed and evaluated through in vitro and in vivo tests. The purpose of this endoscope is to visualize the inner wall of large arteries, e.g., an aorta, without blocking off the blood stream aiming for the use of an assistive technique for endovascular interventions such as stent-graft placement for aortic aneurysm. The technique newly introduced for this purpose was the use of intermittent high-pressure saline jet synchronized to heart beat (diastolic phase). In the previous studies using commercially available bronchoscopes, we confirmed the validity of the system utilizing this technique [1, 2]. Based on these findings, in this study, we have specially designed a new endoscope with two channels, one for saline discharge and the other for forceps, and evaluated its performance through in vitro and in vivo tests. From the results of in vitro tests using a mock circulation system, it was confirmed that the newly designed endoscope was capable of visualizing a target installed on an inner surface of the mock system. Also confirmed through in vivo tests using swine was that we could observe bifurcation in descending aorta, e.g., left renal artery, without stopping off the blood stream.

A new proposal of tailored bioinstrumentation using rapid prototyping and three-dimensional CAD--first trial to develop individually designed cuff-units for continuous blood pressure measurement.

The concept of tailored bioinstrumentation using rapid prototyping and three-dimensional CAD (3D-CAD) was proposed. This concept is to make individually designed and fabricated sensor unit to attach human body. Within the proposed concept, cuff-units for continuous blood pressure measurement were individually designed using 3D-CAD and fabricated automatically. As the result, blood pressure wave forms can be obtained using the finally developed cuff units. Using rapid prototyping device, the design and fabrication process were accelerated without any artisan-like high skilled persons.

Development of a fully automated network system for long-term health-care monitoring at home.

Daily monitoring of health condition at home is very important not only as an effective scheme for early diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular and other diseases, but also for prevention and control of such diseases. From this point of view, we have developed a prototype room for fully automated monitoring of various vital signs. From the results of preliminary experiments using this room, it was confirmed that (1) ECG and respiration during bathing, (2) excretion weight and blood pressure, and (3) respiration and cardiac beat during sleep could be monitored with reasonable accuracy by the sensor system installed in bathtub, toilet and bed, respectively.

Development of an ambulatory device for monitoring posture change and walking speed for use in rehabilitation.

Monitoring of posture change in sagittal plane and walking speed is important for evaluate the effectiveness of rehabilitation program or brace. We have developed a wearable device for monitoring human activity. However, in the previous system, there still remain several drawbacks for practical use such as accuracy in angle measurement, cumbersome cable arrangements, and so on. In order to improve these practical drawbacks, a new sensor system was designed, and its availability was evaluated. The results demonstrated that the accuracy of this system showed superior to that of the previous, and this system appears to be a significant means for quantitative assessment of the patient's motion.

Development of a wearable device capable of monitoring human activity for use in rehabilitation and certification of eligibility for long-term care.

The importance of human posture monitoring is well recognized in the field of rehabilitation, in order to evaluate quantitatively the effectiveness of rehabilitation by a physical therapist. The activity monitoring is also well recognized as being useful in the field of certification of eligibility for long-term care. Assessment of the actual physical condition of the applicant tends to be difficult when determine the level of need for long-term care. Taking these circumstances in consideration, we attempted to measure the activities of patients in rehabilitation using a wearable device for monitoring human activity. The results clearly demonstrated that detailed motion characteristics could be detected during standing up, walking and sitting up as angle changes between specific body segments and as trunk motion acceleration.

A new portable device for ambulatory monitoring of human posture and walking velocity using miniature accelerometers and gyroscope.

Measurement of physical activity is one of the key subjects in the field of ambulatory cardiovascular monitoring using such as Holter ECG and so called "ambulatory blood pressure monitor (ABPM)". Rehabilitation and gerontology will also be another fields for the application of the activity monitor. From this point of view, we have developed a portable device for monitoring human posture and walking velocity in ambulatory subjects. In this paper are described, a new sensor system for this purpose using three accelerometers and one gyroscope, its availability for the accurate measurement of human posture and walking velocity, and results of preliminary study using a prototype system for ambulatory monitoring.

Stiffness of human arterial wall assessed by intravascular ultrasound.

Little is known about the elastic properties of human arteries. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) can measure the instantaneous circumference or diameter of the arteries during a cardiac cycle, and so investigate human arterial elasticity in vivo. We studied 36 patients aged from 35 to 72 years classified into the ischemic heart disease (IHD) group (21 patients aged 39 to 71 years) and the non-ischemic heart disease (NIHD) group (15 patients aged 35 to 76 years) who had no atherogenic factors. The stiffness and wall morphology of six portions from the thoracic descending aorta to common iliac artery were measured by 8F, 15 MHz IVUS. The stiffness parameter, beta, was calculated as 1n (Pmax/Pmin)/(Cmax/Cmin-1), where P is arterial pressure, and C is the circumference of the artery. The thickness of the intima-media complex echo (Th) was used as a substitute for the wall thickness, and Th/D was calculated as an index of relative wall thickness, where D is the minimum luminal diameter. The pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured with a conventional method. beta increased after branching of the renal artery and increased much more toward the periphery in comparison with the thoracic descending aorta in both groups. At all portions except the abdominal aorta after branching of the renal artery and the common iliac artery, beta was significantly larger in the IHD than the NIHD group. Th/D increased as well as beta in both groups. At all portions except after branching of the renal artery, Th/D was significantly larger in the IHD than the NIHD group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)