Blood Pressure Telemetry

      The exceptional performance, ease of use and the superior quality of data obtained with Data Sciences' pressure implants have pushed pressure telemetry to the foreground in the cardiovascular sciences literature. Here are some reasons for this development:

• The transmitter implants utilize a specially designed catheter to refer pressure applied at the catheter-tip to the sensor contained in the transmitter body. These catheters are absolutely free from clogging, the problem that has always limited the patency of conventional catheters used for chronic implantation. Continuous, reliable BP measurements can be obtained for many months, maintenance-free.
• The sensor and electronics used in these implants are extremely stable, with an initial offset error of less than 3 mmHg. By comparing telemetry pressures with direct cannulation pressures before and after a chronic experiment, many users have already confirmed the minimal amount of drift over time.
• BP and HR are known to be sensitive physiological variables reflecting the influence of environmental stressors. The use of these BP implants leads to the recording of true resting state values. This results from the freedom of exteriorized lines and swivels, and the absence of a need for animal handling or supervision. Implantation techniques are straightforward, clean and easy, not more complicated than other chronic catheterisations.

      Three models cover species ranging in size from mice to non-human primates, dogs and miniature swine. The PA-C40 model for small animals (rats, guinea pigs, marmosets) is usually implanted intraperinoneally, with the tip of the catheter (0.7 mm O.D.) inserted into the descending aorta. The larger PA-D70 model is typically placed under the skin at the flank of larger animals, with the tip of the catheter inserted into (a branch of) the femoral artery. The latest addition to the range of pressure transmitters was introduced in the fall of 1998: the PA-C20 for implantation in mice and other very small animals. Read more about the smallest pressure and heart rate implants in our Web site section News.
      Battery life of either model guarantees continuous monitoring for six months; this period can be extended by using the magnetically activated on-off switch incorporated in the transmitter.
      When using the DataQuest^® system from DSI for computerized data acquisition, HR, and activity can easily be monitored in addition to systolic, mean and diastolic pressure. In addition, the Dataquest software is also extract respiration rate from the BP signal in rats.
Monitoring can also be done with any third party D/A hard- and software, or with a conventional chart recorder, by using special adapters.

      If you wish to record BP and ECG in rats, be sure to look up the popular C50-PXT Multiplus^TM transmitter.

Data Sciences Main page | Biopotential telemetry | Multiplus transmitters
Animal activity telemetry | DataQuest (data acquisition) | Data Sciences technology overview