KEYWORDS: Sensors, Cameras, Fiber Bragg gratings, In vivo imaging, Polysomnography, Fiber optics, Video, Digital signal processing, Temperature metrology, Visualization
A multimodal catheter for characterizing airway collapse in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was introduced at Photonics West in 2019. This newly developed device showed the potential for improved diagnosis of OSA with the aim to distinguish which patients would benefit from one of the variety of treatments currently available. We build upon these findings and present preliminary results for in-vivo studies that highlight the ability of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) based pressure and temperature measurements to characterize upper airway obstruction during OSA. Significantly, our recent data is derived from a sleep study in a human subject with diagnosed OSA during natural sleep as it is considered that upper airway collapse occurs differently when awake or in a drug induced state. We demonstrate how pressure measurements from 10mm spaced FBGs can determine the location of the site(s) of collapse. Using video recordings from the catheter integrated micro-camera, we also identify the mechanism of collapse and associated anatomical features. Combining the video capture with the simultaneous and temperature independent optical measurements we present evidence of upper airway collapse during natural sleep. It is considered that improved diagnostic data of this kind would advance the ability of clinicians to better guide subsequent therapeutic interventions.
We present a multimodal catheter for characterizing airway collapse in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) during in-vivo sleep studies. Traditionally, diagnosis focusses on identifying the presence of apnea rather than the underlying cause of obstruction, and current methods of detecting airway collapse are not able to identify a specific patient’s contributing factors. It is considered that a simple method to establish the primary site and mechanism for upper airway collapse would improve the ability of clinicians to distinguish which patients would benefit from one of the variety of treatments currently available. By introducing a newly developed manometry catheter into in-vivo studies of known OSA sufferers we can provide the means to determine the location of the site(s) of collapse, the degree of occlusion that occurs, the severity of reduced air flow, the associated anatomical features, and mechanism of collapse. The device consists of 13 discrete pressure and temperature sensing elements and a micro-video camera that collectively enable simultaneous recording of pressure, temperature, and visualization of the point of collapse. The sensors use fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) spaced on a 10mm pitch which is sufficient to provide an accurate interpolated image of both pressure and temperature along the upper airway (above the epiglottis), whilst the use of paired FBGs effectively removes the temperature artefact. We present results from recent in-vivo studies that demonstrate the viability of the device to identify and characterize occlusive events in the upper airway and the potential to better guide subsequent therapeutic interventions.
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