Introduction

The carotid artery is the main artery feeding blood into the brain. It passes from the chest cavity through the neck and into the head. All arteries serve a critical purpose and if any become clogged, damage to the body will result in one form or another.  However, if the carotid artery becomes clogged to such an extent that blood flow to the brain is minimal or stops entirely, serious brain damage and/or death will occur within a few minutes. The carotid artery like all arteries are susceptible to plaque buildup on the walls of the arteries. As the plaque thickens the blood flow will be restricted and the arteries could become totally clogged if a blood clot forms. Microcircuits with MEMS micro-reed sensors are used to help control and/or alert the patient and doctors of a serious condition.

Full application write-up: MEMS Reed Sensors Sense Clogged Arteries