Open AccessHead‐compliant microstrip split ring resonator for non‐invasive healing monitoring after craniosynostosis‐based surgery
Author(s) -
Perez Mauricio David,
Jeong Seung Hee,
Raman Sujith,
Nowinski Daniel,
Wu Zhigang,
Redzwan Syaiful M.S.,
Velander Jacob,
Peng Zhiwei,
Hjort Klas,
Augustine Robin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
healthcare technology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.45
H-Index - 19
ISSN - 2053-3713
DOI - 10.1049/htl.2018.5083
Subject(s) - materials science , biomedical engineering , imaging phantom , distraction osteogenesis , human head , soft tissue , resonator , computer science , surgery , medicine , distraction , optoelectronics , composite material , radiology , neuroscience , absorption (acoustics) , biology
A soft and highly directive, proximity‐coupled split‐ring resonator fabricated with a liquid alloy, copper and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is presented. The same was designed for sensing osteogenesis of calvarial bone. As dielectric properties of bone grafts in ossifying calvarial defects should change during the osteogenesis process, devices like this could monitor the gradual transformation of the defect into bone by differentiating changes in the dielectric properties as shifts in the resonance frequency. Computational Software Technology (CST) Microwave Studio®‐based simulation results on computational head models were in good agreement with laboratory results on head phantom models, which also included the comparison with an in‐vivo measurement on the human head. A discussion based on an inductive reasoning regarding dynamics’ considerations is provided as well. Since the skin elasticity of newborn children is high, stretching and crumpling could be significant. In addition, due to typical head curvatures in newborn children, bending should not be a significant issue, and can provide higher energy focus in the defect area and improve conformability. The present concept could support the development of soft, cheap and portable follow‐up monitoring systems to use in outpatient hospital and home care settings for post‐operative monitoring of bone healing after reconstructive surgical procedures.