SENSORS FOR DETECTING SUBSTANCES IN BODILY FLUIDS

摘要

A system is disclosed that extracts bodily fluid to a reaction chamber for monitoring a substance or property of the patient fluid. In one embodiment, a pump is used to advance the sample of bodily fluid through a filter to produce a filtrate. Another pump advances filtrate into the reaction chamber, while another pump advances reactant into the reaction chamber. A sensor in communication with the reaction chamber determines a concentration of nitric oxide or one of its metabolic products. Methods are also disclosed.

主权项

1. An apparatus for measuring nitrite in blood of a human or animal subject, the apparatus comprising:
a housing, at least a portion of which is configured to contact the blood of the subject; a size-exclusion filter within the housing, configured to allow nitrite ions to pass through the filter and impede passage of particles having a molecular weight greater than about 60 kD through the filter; a nitrite reduction agent within the housing, configured to reduce nitrite ions to nitric oxide; and a nitric oxide electrode within the housing for measuring nitric oxide.