The microtip intramedullary probe for intraoperative pressure measurement.

Abstract

The implantation of femoral stem prostheses and intramedullary fracture stabilisation are well-established techniques in traumatology. Although the biomechanical advantages of intramedullary splinting are obvious, impairments of pulmonary circulation and respiratory function are typical and feared complications. These pulmonary disturbances are strikingly correlated with operation-induced intramedullary hypertension. A simple, low-invasive and reliable system for the measurement of intramedullary pressure is presented. At the heart of the system is a microtip probe, transforming changes of pressure into electric impulses, filtered and amplified in a pressure measuring system (PMS).