However, traditional measurement technology requires that researchers hard-wire the implanted flow sensors to a bench-top flowmeter. This experimental setting can put stress on the animal to alter the behavior and physiological condition of the subject such as increasing blood pressure or cardiac output and thereby confound the experimental results. These preparations also require close supervision to assure humane conditions, avoid infections, and prevent loss or damage to the instrumentation.

With NIH/NHLBI SBIR research support and corporate internal development funds, Transonic Systems developed in Phase I a miniaturized low-power flowmeter board. This first step - the feasibility demonstration of a new transit-time ultrasound flow detection approach - produced a flowmeter that is small enough to be carried by laboratory animals, and that maintains the accuracy of benchtop flowmeters. During Phase II, this first discrete-component flowmeter unit was converted into large-scale integrated chips. The Phase II chipset is the first step towards the ultimate SBIR project goal of a fully implantable telemetered flowmeter, first for animal studies, later for chronic human implant in applications such as Ventricular Assist Devices and post-op monitoring after bypass surgery.

The advent of accurate, chronically implantable flowmeter technology as pioneered by Transonic has revolutionized academic biomedical research and patient monitoring and enhanced the measuring/monitoring capabilities for medical devices. The new Transonic technologies developed under this grant open the door to a wider array of such innovation-enabling advances. On the animal studies front, the Transonic hardware will allow studies to proceed faster and with fewer animals, since the investigator can now monitor blood flow in animals during the full course of a disease/treatment study under less stressful conditions. For product information and pictures of the commercialized hardware, see the following URL: http://www.transonic.com/physiogear.shtml.

This new product is the fourth Transonic product developed and commercialized under NIH SBIR program. Previous commercialized products include the HD01 Hemodialysis Monitor; the 0.5PSB and 0.7PSB Mouse blood flowprobes and TS420-series flowmeter; and the AngioFlow angioplasty flow monitoring catheter. Around 25% of our product sales include SBIR-developed technologies.

· Several pharmaceutical companies - drug efficacy studies;

· Naval Medical Research study - new vascular grafts and wound care that may be applied to post trauma treatment and saving limbs;

· A University Hospital in Belgium - translational research studies in pigs to improve clinical outcomes in liver transplant cases

· A Veterinary College in England - fetal & pregnancy blood flow studies in sheep.

The same miniature flowmeter board is also used to improve human health. A number of biomedical product companies have incorporated OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) versions of this technology into their products, which include:

* Organ Preservation Machines

* Eye Surgery

* Heart Lung Machines

* Circulatory Support Devices

* Hemodialysis Machines

* Oxygenators

* Extracorporeal Patient Monitoring Machines