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Ostasevicius V, Jurenas V, Venslauskas M, Kizauskiene L, Zigmantaite V, Stankevicius E, Bubulis A, Vezys J, Mikuckyte S. Low-frequency ultrasound for pulmonary hypertension therapy. Respir Res 2024; 25:70. [PMID: 38317182 PMCID: PMC10840147 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-024-02713-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, there are no reliable clinical tools that allow non-invasive therapeutic support for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. This study aims to propose a low-frequency ultrasound device for pulmonary hypertension therapy and to demonstrate its potential. METHODS A novel low-frequency ultrasound transducer has been developed. Due to its structural properties, it is excited by higher vibrational modes, which generate a signal capable of deeply penetrating biological tissues. A methodology for the artificial induction of pulmonary hypertension in sheep and for the assessment of lung physiological parameters such as blood oxygen concentration, pulse rate, and pulmonary blood pressure has been proposed. RESULTS The results showed that exposure of the lungs to low-frequency ultrasound changed physiological parameters such as blood oxygen concentration, pulse rate and blood pressure. These parameters are most closely related to indicators of pulmonary hypertension (PH). The ultrasound exposure increased blood oxygen concentration over a 7-min period, while pulse rate and pulmonary blood pressure decreased over the same period. In anaesthetised sheep exposed to low-frequency ultrasound, a 10% increase in SpO2, a 10% decrease in pulse rate and an approximate 13% decrease in blood pressure were observed within 7 min. CONCLUSIONS The research findings demonstrate the therapeutic efficiency of low-frequency ultrasound on hypertensive lungs, while also revealing insights into the physiological aspects of gas exchange within the pulmonary system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vytautas Ostasevicius
- Institute of Mechatronics, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 56, 51424, Kaunas, Lithuania.
| | - Vytautas Jurenas
- Institute of Mechatronics, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 56, 51424, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Mantas Venslauskas
- Institute of Mechatronics, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 56, 51424, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Laura Kizauskiene
- Department of Computer Sciences, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 50, 51368, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Vilma Zigmantaite
- Biological Research Center Lithuanian, University of Health Sciences, Tilžės Street 18, 47181, Kaunas, Lithuania
- Laboratory of Membrane Biophysics, Cardiology Department, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Sukilėlių Street 15, 50103, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Edgaras Stankevicius
- Institute of Physiology and Pharmacology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickevicius Street 9, 44307, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Algimantas Bubulis
- Institute of Mechatronics, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 56, 51424, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Joris Vezys
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 56, 51424, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Sandra Mikuckyte
- Institute of Mechatronics, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 56, 51424, Kaunas, Lithuania
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Ostasevicius V, Jurenas V, Mikuckyte S, Vezys J, Stankevicius E, Bubulis A, Venslauskas M, Kizauskiene L. Development of a Low-Frequency Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Transducer for Biological Tissue Sonication. Sensors (Basel) 2023; 23:3608. [PMID: 37050668 PMCID: PMC10098853 DOI: 10.3390/s23073608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The safety of ultrasound exposure is very important for a patient's well-being. High-frequency (1-10 MHz) ultrasound waves are highly absorbed by biological tissue and have limited therapeutic effects on internal organs. This article presents the results of the development and application of a low-frequency (20-100 kHz) ultrasonic transducer for sonication of biological tissues. Using the methodology of digital twins, consisting of virtual and physical twins, an ultrasonic transducer has been developed that emits a focused ultrasound signal that penetrates into deeper biological tissues. For this purpose, the ring-shaped end surface of this transducer is excited not only by the main longitudinal vibrational mode, which is typical of the flat end surface transducers used to date, but also by higher mode radial vibrations. The virtual twin simulation shows that the acoustic signal emitted by the ring-shaped transducer, which is excited by a higher vibrational mode, is concentrated into a narrower and more precise acoustic wave that penetrates deeper into the biological tissue and affects only the part of the body to be treated, but not the whole body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vytautas Ostasevicius
- Institute of Mechatronics, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 56, LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Vytautas Jurenas
- Institute of Mechatronics, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 56, LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Sandra Mikuckyte
- Institute of Mechatronics, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 56, LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Joris Vezys
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 50, LT-51368 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Edgaras Stankevicius
- Institute of Physiology and Pharmacology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickevicius Street 9, LT-44307 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Algimantas Bubulis
- Institute of Mechatronics, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 56, LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Mantas Venslauskas
- Institute of Mechatronics, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 56, LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Laura Kizauskiene
- Department of Computer Sciences, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu Street 50, LT-51368 Kaunas, Lithuania
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