A soft thermal sensor for the continuous assessment of flow in vascular access

Yujun Deng; Hany M Arafa; Tianyu Yang; Hassan Albadawi; Richard J Fowl; Zefu Zhang; Viswajit Kandula; Ashvita Ramesh; Chase Correia; Yonggang Huang; Rahmi Oklu; John A Rogers; Andrea S Carlini

doi:10.1038/s41467-024-54942-3

A soft thermal sensor for the continuous assessment of flow in vascular access

Nat Commun. 2025 Jan 2;16(1):38. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-54942-3.

Authors

Yujun Deng^{1

2

3}, Hany M Arafa^{4

5}, Tianyu Yang^{4

6}, Hassan Albadawi^{7

8}, Richard J Fowl⁹, Zefu Zhang⁸, Viswajit Kandula^{4

5

10}, Ashvita Ramesh^{4

5

11}, Chase Correia^{4

5}, Yonggang Huang^#^{12

13

14}, Rahmi Oklu^#^{15

16}, John A Rogers^#^{17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25}, Andrea S Carlini^#^{26

27

28

29}

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
² Shanghai Key Laboratory of Digital Manufacture for Thin-walled Structure, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
³ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
⁴ Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
⁵ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
⁶ School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
⁷ Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
⁸ The Laboratory for Patient-Inspired Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
⁹ Chair Emeritus, Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
¹⁰ Feinberg Medical School, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
¹¹ Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
¹² Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
¹³ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
¹⁴ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
¹⁵ Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA. [email protected].
¹⁶ The Laboratory for Patient-Inspired Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA. [email protected].
¹⁷ Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
¹⁸ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
¹⁹ Feinberg Medical School, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. [email protected].
²⁰ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
²¹ Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
²² Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
²³ Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
²⁴ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
²⁵ Department of Computer Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
²⁶ Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. [email protected].
²⁷ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA. [email protected].
²⁸ Interdisciplinary Program in Quantitative Biosciences, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA. [email protected].
²⁹ Center for Polymers and Organic Solids, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA. [email protected].

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Hemodialysis for chronic kidney disease (CKD) relies on vascular access (VA) devices, such as arteriovenous fistulas (AVF), grafts (AVG), or catheters, to maintain blood flow. Nonetheless, unpredictable progressive vascular stenosis due to neointimal formation or complete occlusion from acute thrombosis remains the primary cause of mature VA failure. Despite emergent surgical intervention efforts, the lack of a reliable early detection tool significantly reduces patient outcomes and survival rates. This study introduces a soft, wearable device that continuously monitors blood flow for early detection of VA failure. Using thermal anemometry, integrated sensors noninvasively measure flow changes in large vessels. Bench testing with AVF and AVG models shows agreement with finite element analysis (FEA) simulations, while human and preclinical swine trials demonstrate the device's sensitivity. Wireless adaptation could enable at-home monitoring, improving detection of VA-related complications and survival in CKD patients.

MeSH terms

Animals
Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical
Finite Element Analysis
Humans
Monitoring, Physiologic / instrumentation
Monitoring, Physiologic / methods
Renal Dialysis* / instrumentation
Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / physiopathology
Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / therapy
Swine
Vascular Access Devices*
Wearable Electronic Devices

Abstract

MeSH terms

Grants and funding