Minimally Invasive Antennas into Aortic Valve Prostheses for RFID-based Trans-Cardiac Links

Valvular heart diseases are one of the major complications in the cardiovascular system. The failing native valve is routinely replaced by a prosthesis. However, these prostheses may often suffer from pathophysiological processes that can lead to structural and functional deterioration. In the scenario of Pervasive Healthcare, remote and non-invasive monitoring for the early diagnosis of implant-associated issues is extremely promising for improving the patient’s quality of life. Thus, in this paper, a method to provide a metal-free aortic valve prosthesis with sensing and communication features without batteries is proposed. To preserve the mechanical and fluid-dynamic performances of the valve, an antenna and an RFID IC suitable for sensing are embedded into the structure. Numerical simulations and a preliminary experiment demonstrate that achieving a robust communication link with an external reader is feasible with only minimal structural changes to the valve.