Doppler sensors and harnesses for cardiac and peripheral arterial flow monitoring.

The objective of the present work was to design Doppler sensors and harnesses for monitoring in real time the cardiac stroke volume and output, the cerebral flow volume and resistance and the lower limb arterial flow and resistance changes. For the middle cerebral artery investigation we used a 2-MHz transcranial pulsed wave (PW) Doppler probe (commercial probe) mounted on a rotula, fixed on the horizontal branch of a headset designed like an audio headset. The arch of the headset passed over the top of the skull. For the common carotid investigation, a 4-MHz continuous-wave (CW) or PW flat Doppler probe was inserted in a circular silicone support of 5-cm diameter and 0.6-cm thickness. This soft support could adapt to the irregular surface of the neck, and the silicone material, which is fairly adhesive to the skin, made the system stable. The transducers were preoriented at 45 degrees from the support, which provided an acceptable orientation of the Doppler beam. The aortic Doppler harness consisted of a 2-MHz PW Doppler probe, mounted on a rotula fixed on a plastic rigid support 7 x 1.5 cm2 in area (parallel to the sternum) whose length could be changed (4-7 cm) to localize the rotula and its sensor on the suprasternal area. This flat segment was fixed on a rotating platform, part of a solid square plastic support (10 x 10 cm2) placed on the upper part of the sternum. This system was maintained by elastic bands passing around the shoulder and the chest. The femoral Doppler harness consisted of a 4-MHz CW or PW flat Doppler probe, inserted in a flat and rectangular rigid plastic support 10 x 3 cm2 in area. This rigid support was well adapted to the flat surface of the internal part of the thigh, which made the system stable. Two elastic bands passed around the thigh and the abdomen, which avoided any translation of the support and kept the sensor in contact with the skin. The transducers were preoriented at 45 degrees from the support, which provided an acceptable orientation of the Doppler beam. The whole Doppler monitoring system was successfully tested during orthostatic tests, such as lower body negative pressure or tilt table tests performed in pre and post head-down tilt experiments and space flights, with the objective of assessing and quantifying the cardiac and peripheral arterial hemodynamic changes associated with orthostatic intolerance.