July 9, 2007 — The U.S. Patent Office has granted to MEMS producer Integrated Sensing Systems, Inc. (ISSYS) a patent titled “System for monitoring conduit obstruction.” The patent (no. 7,211,048) covers design and manufacture of a wireless implantable sensing system for non-invasive monitoring of pressure and/or pressure gradients in a cardiac conduit.

Certain heart defects require implantation of a cardiac blood flow conduit in order to bypass valve aplasia or severe stenosis. One of the main issues with implanted cardiac conduits is that over time calcification or stenosis will occur and, in nearly all cases, occlusion will occur eventually. ISSYS’ system allows physicians a means for continuous accurate and non-invasive monitoring of pressure and blood flow rate within the conduit, in order to determine whether and when conduit revision is required. Remote monitoring of conduit condition would reduce the number of hospital and clinic visits while increasing the overall timeliness of treatment.

ISSYS CEO Dr. Nader Najafi said, “ISSYS has already established a solid patent portfolio to cover the design and technology of its wireless implant platform. It is exciting to see that the recently awarded patents are now covering the medical applications of our technology.”