Patent ID: 8744544

Claim:
A system for monitoring a charge-based physiological parameter of an ionic fluid within an internal organ of a living body, the system comprising at least one sensor adapted to be implanted in the living body and an organ therein, the sensor comprising: a surface defining an exterior of the sensor relative to which the ionic fluid flows in a flow direction; sensing elements adapted to sense the charge-based physiological parameter of the ionic fluid within the organ, the sensing elements comprising at least first and second sensing elements that are electrically conductive, aligned and spaced apart in the flow direction, and exposed at the exterior of the sensor so as to be contacted by the ionic fluid; means for applying an alternating current in the flow direction, between the first and second sensing elements, and through the ionic fluid contacting the first and second sensing elements; means for applying a biasing charge in a direction transverse to the flow direction to ionize the ionic fluid in a direction from the first and second sensing elements opposite the flow direction; and means for generating a signal corresponding to the impedance of the ionic fluid based on the alternating current.