Blood biosensor

Doctors could continuously monitor the characteristics of a critically ill patient’s blood using a new device being developed in the UK.

The MicroEye, from Bedfordshire-based Probe Scientific, would fit inside traditional IV catheters inserted into the veins of intensive-care patients.

The device incorporates a semi-permeable membrane, which sits in the vein of a patient, and a biosensor located outside the body to measure blood characteristics such as glucose, potassium and urea levels.

The technology, which is still under development, recently received £1m worth of venture capital funding to bring it closer to commercialisation.

Neil Smith, chief executive of Probe, said the device begins to work when saline is flowed into the patient’s vein through the catheter. The membrane, which separates the stream of saline from the flowing blood in the vein, allows only certain parts of the blood – not including red blood cells – to pass through.