Proof of concept for detection of new parameters within an intravascular fibre optic glucose sensor

Blood glucose levels in critically ill patients require close attention by physicians in the intensive care unit (ICU) because these patients spontaneously develop harmfully high or low glucose values. While glucose is monitored with point measurements today, clinical trials suggest that continuous monitoring will both reduce mortality, morbidity and ICU costs for hospitals. GlucoSet has developed a glucose sensing nanotechnology for intravascular use. The sensors will lead to better accurate and continuous glucose monitoring, which in turn enables better glucose control in the critically ill. GlucoSet's sensor technology is the first and only continuous monitoring sensor small enough to access through arterial catheters already used in ICU patients, which is a major advantage from a clinical perspective as it is more reliable and significantly easier to adopt than any alternative approaches. Comparatively, subcutaneous access and peripheral venous access has been shown to consistently have very low reliability in ICU patients despite hundreds of millions of dollars being poured into R&D efforts by small and large companies. Central venous access is shown to have acceptable reliability, but very low ease of adoption because the approach requires changing workflow across multiple departments to be successful. However, two challenges with arterial placement are risk of lowered body temperature and risk of obstructed blood flow. This project is expected to give proof of concept for an elegant solution to these fundamental and until today unsolved problems.