AJP - Heart and Circulatory Physiology, Vol 247, Issue 6 1005-H1009, Copyright © 1984 by American Physiological Society
A technique for monitoring blood flow changes with miniaturized Doppler flow probes
D. E. Van Orden, D. B. Farley, C. Fastenow and M. J. Brody
A method for constructing miniaturized Doppler blood flow probes is
presented. Since these probes weigh less than 100 mg and have crystal heads
less than 0.5 mm in size, they are suitable for chronic placement on
vessels as small as 200 micron. The probes are positioned under the vessel
and rotated to optimize the Doppler signal. While held in that position,
the crystal head is attached to the adventitia of the vessel with
cyanoacrylate glue. A cuff holding the vessel and probe in the chosen
position is then formed in situ by the application of a drop of silicone
polymer. Data are presented showing the linearity of a flow probe response
with the volume blood flow at rates as low as 14 microliter/min. With the
use of the uterine artery of the conscious, unrestrained rat as an example,
the probe was demonstrated to detect a dynamic change in flow.
