A miniature bidirectional telemetry system for in vivo gastric slow wave recordings

Stomach contractions are initiated and coordinated by an underlying electrical activity (slow waves), and electrical dysrhythmias accompany motility diseases. Electrical recordings taken directly from the stomach provide the most valuable data, but face technical constraints. Serosal or mucosal electrodes have cables that traverse the abdominal wall, or a natural orifice, causing discomfort and possible infection, and restricting mobility. These problems motivated the development of a wireless system. The bidirectional telemetric system constitutes a front-end transponder, a back-end receiver and a graphical user interface. The front-end module conditions the analogue signals, then digitizes and loads the data into a radio for transmission. Data receipt at the back-end is acknowledged via a transceiver function. The system was validated in a bench-top study, then validated in vivo using serosal electrodes connected simultaneously to a commercial wired system. The front-end module was 35 x 35 x 27 mm(3) and weighed 20 g. Bench-top tests demonstrated reliable communication within a distance range of 30 m, power consumption of 13.5 mW, and 124 h operation when utilizing a 560 mAh, 3 V battery. In vivo, slow wave frequencies were recorded identically with the wireless and wired reference systems (2.4 cycles min(-1)), automated activation time detection was modestly better for the wireless system ( 5% versus 14% FP rate), and signal amplitudes were modestly higher via the wireless system (462 versus 386 mu V; p < 0.001). This telemetric system for slow wave acquisition is reliable, power efficient, readily portable and potentially implantable. The device will enable chronic monitoring and evaluation of slow wave patterns in animals and patients.