Sensor for monitoring a condition of a patient

Abstract

A sensor may include a first substrate having a sensing portion defining a sensor thereon and configured to be percutaneously inserted into a patient, and an extracorporeal circuit mounting portion defining at least one electrically conductive pad that is electrically connected to the sensor. The sensor may produce a signal indicative of a condition of the patient. An anisotropic medium may be disposed on the circuit mounting portion and may be electrically conductive in a direction through the medium and electrically insulating in directions along the medium. A second substrate may be mechanically mounted to the circuit mounting portion of the first substrate via the anisotropic medium with at least one electrically conductive terminal juxtaposed over the at least one electrically conductive pad. The anisotropic medium may establish local electrical contact between the at least one electrically conductive terminal and the at least one electrically conductive pad.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sensor comprising:
 a first substrate having a sensing portion configured to be percutaneously inserted into a patient and an extracorporeal circuit mounting portion, the sensing portion defining a sensor thereon and the circuit mounting portion having at least one electrically conductive pad formed thereon that is electrically connected to the sensor, the sensor configured to produce a signal indicative of a condition of the patient,   an anisotropic medium disposed on the circuit mounting portion, the medium configured to be electrically conductive in a direction through the medium and electrically insulating in directions along the medium,   second substrate having at least one electrically conductive terminal formed thereon, the second substrate mechanically mounted to the extracorporeal circuit mounting portion of the first substrate via the anisotropic medium with the at least one electrically conductive terminal juxtaposed over the at least one electrically conductive pad, the anisotropic medium establishing local electrical contact between the at least one electrically conductive terminal and the at least one electrically conductive pad.   
     
     
         2 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first substrate is one of a flexible substrate and a rigid substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the anisotropic medium is an anisotropic adhesive tape configured to mechanically bond the second substrate to the extracorporeal circuit mounting portion of the first substrate, the anisotropic adhesive tape further being electrically insulating along a plane defined by the anisotropic adhesive tape and electrically conductive through the anisotropic adhesive tape in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane defined by the anisotropic adhesive tape. 
     
     
         4 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the anisotropic medium is an anisotropic elastomer configured to mechanically bond the second substrate to the extracorporeal circuit mounting portion of the first substrate, the anisotropic elastomer being electrically insulating along a plane generally parallel to opposing surfaces of the extracorporeal circuit mounting portion of the first substrate and the second substrate, and electrically conductive through the anisotropic elastomer in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane. 
     
     
         5 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first substrate defines a first number of electrically conductive pads on the extracorporeal circuit mounting portion thereof, and the second substrate has a second number of electrical terminals formed thereon,
 and wherein at least some of the second number of electrical terminals align with at least some of the number of electrically conductive pads when the second substrate is mounted to the extracorporeal circuit mounting portion of the first substrate.   
     
     
         6 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the second substrate comprises a number of electrical components mounted thereto and electrically interconnected to form a sensor control circuit, the sensor control circuit being electrically connected to the at least one electrical terminal. 
     
     
         7 . The sensor of  claim 6 , wherein the sensor control circuit includes a sensor operating circuit configured to operate the sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The sensor of  claim 6 , wherein the sensor control circuit includes a telemetry circuit configured to transmit or receive communication signals to or from a remote electronic device. 
     
     
         9 . The sensor of  claim 6 , wherein the sensor control circuit includes a notification circuit configured to produce any of a visual, audible and tactile indication of a predefined event. 
     
     
         10 . The sensor of  claim 9 , wherein the sensor control circuit includes an acknowledgement circuit responsive to user activation thereof to acknowledge production of the visual, audible or tactile indication of the predefined event. 
     
     
         11 . The sensor of  claim 9 , wherein the sensor control circuit is configured to determine the predefined event from a signal produced by the sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The sensor of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor control circuit further includes a telemetry circuit configured to transmit or receive wireless communication signals to or from a first remote electronic device,
 and wherein the first remote electronic device includes a first telemetry circuit configured to transmit or receive wireless communication signals to or from the telemetry system of the sensor control circuit.   
     
     
         13 . The sensor of  claim 12 , wherein the telemetry circuit of the sensor control circuit is configured to transmit a wireless signal indicative of the predefined event to the first telemetry circuit of the first remote electronic device,
 and wherein the first remote electronic device includes means for providing any of a visual, audible and tactile indication of the predefined event.   
     
     
         14 . The sensor of  claim 12 , wherein the first remote electronic device further includes a second telemetry circuit configured to transmit or receive wireless communication signals to or from a second remote electronic device. 
     
     
         15 . The sensor of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a second remote electronic device, and   means for establishing communications between the first and second remote electronic devices.   
     
     
         16 . The sensor of  claim 1  wherein the second substrate is one of a flexible substrate and a rigid substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The sensor of  claim 1  wherein the second substrate defines an outer periphery that is contained within an outer periphery of the extracorporeal circuit mounting portion of the first substrate when the second substrate is mounted thereto. 
     
     
         18 . The sensor of  claim 1  wherein the at least one electrically conductive terminal is formed on one side of the second substrate,
 and wherein the second substrate comprises a number of electrical components mounted to an opposite side thereof and electrically interconnected to form a sensor control circuit, the sensor control circuit being electrically connected to the at least one electrical terminal through the second substrate. 
 
     
     
         19 . The sensor of  claim 18 , wherein the sensor control circuit includes at least one of a sensor operating circuit configured to operate the sensor, a telemetry circuit configured to transmit or receive communication signals to or from a remote electronic device, a notification circuit configured to produce any of a visual, audible and tactile indication of a predefined event, and an acknowledgement circuit responsive to user activation thereof to acknowledge production of a visual, audible or tactile indication of a predefined event. 
     
     
         20 . The sensor of  claim 19 , wherein the sensor control circuit includes at least one of the notification circuit and the acknowledgement circuit,
 and wherein the sensor control circuit is configured to determine the predefined event from a signal produced by the sensor.