Automatic system for noninvasive blood pressure determination in rotary pump recipients.

In patients with implanted rotary pumps, the arterial pressure pulsatility is usually far lower than in normal individuals. Depending on the remaining degree of pulsatility, cuff-based systems such as the classical Riva-Rocci-determination of arterial blood pressure and correlated sounds or pressure measurements based on cuffpressure oscillations become inaccurate or even impossible. Therefore, a system was developed which evaluates the flow in the radial artery using an ultrasound wristwatch sensor, and this additional information is used for pressure determination.