Implantable Biosensor Interface Platform for Monitoring of Atherosclerosis

Drug-eluting stents have been considered to be an effective technique to reduce the severity of atherosclerotic stenosis. Recent technological advances have opened the door for developing new and innovative smart cardiovascular stents by integrating various electronic components and sensors to improve health monitoring and diagnosis. Rupture of atherosclerotic plaque represents the major cause of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attacks, due to blockages of the arterial lumen. Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) is a novel localized inflammatory biomarker associated with the development of atherosclerosis and plaque vulnerability. In this letter, we propose a biosensor interface platform for monitoring the plaque vulnerability via detection and prediction of the inflammatory biomarker (PTX3). We propose mathematical and stochastic models using a molecular communication paradigm for detection of PTX3 molecules in the atherosclerotic arterial wall using a biosensor attached to a vascular stent inside the artery. The proposed platform and models can help in the localized sensing of the atherosclerotic biomarkers for monitoring of the plaque progression and for early warning of certain disorders, such as heart attack.