Researchers have developed an innovative optical fiber sensing system designed to monitor patients for complications following traumatic brain injuries, as detailed in ACS Sensors.

This technology is particularly crucial because traumatic brain injuries can lead to secondary damage from swelling, making effective biomarker monitoring essential for patient care.

Current monitoring methods often struggle to track multiple biomarkers simultaneously, which prompted researchers Yuqian Zhang, Ali Yetisen, and their team to create this advanced optical fiber system.

The system is capable of continuously and simultaneously tracking six critical brain health biomarkers: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, glucose, sodium ions, and calcium ions.

Each of the six optical fibers is equipped with fluorescent tips specific to each biomarker, utilizing a multi-wavelength laser for precise monitoring.

These fibers are integrated into a 2.5-millimeter-thick catheter, which enhances the cerebrospinal fluid sensing capabilities and includes an additional fiber for improved calcium measurement.

The system records changes in brightness when a target analyte interacts with a fluorescent tip, allowing for detailed tracking of individual biomarkers.

Machine learning algorithms play a crucial role in effectively separating and interpreting the fluorescence signals from the six biomarkers.

In tests with cerebrospinal fluid samples from healthy participants, the system demonstrated its ability to accurately measure pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and changes in ion and glucose concentrations.

The system successfully detected the biomarkers in experiments simulating human brain conditions after traumatic injury, showcasing its potential for real-world applications.

Funding for this groundbreaking research was provided by the Royal Society, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the China Scholarship Council.

The researchers believe that this optical fiber technology could be pivotal in detecting imminent secondary injuries and monitoring complications in patients after traumatic brain injuries.