Bladder Pressure Spectral Analysis for Non-Voiding Contraction Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current urodynamic tests rely heavily on subjective patient feedback and behavior-level measurements, fail to quantify non-voiding contractions, and can be painful and uncomfortable for patients, lacking physiological relevance in assessing bladder or bowel disorders.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using sensors to obtain bladder or bowel contraction-related data, analyzing mean spectral power and weighted average frequency to provide a quantitative evaluation of bladder or bowel states, allowing for the diagnosis of disorders and monitoring treatment efficacy without requiring patients to void.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional urodynamic tests use sensors to obtain pressure readings during bladder filling, then measurement capability is improved, but the tests fail to differentiate detrusor muscle pressure from abdominal pressure and cannot quantify non-voiding contractions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pressure measurement into two distinct components: vesical pressure (from bladder catheter) and abdominal pressure (from rectal or vaginal catheter). By separating these measurements and subtracting abdominal pressure from vesical pressure, the system isolates true detrusor muscle pressure, preventing information loss about bladder performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces abdominal pressure measurement as an intermediary element to indirectly assess detrusor muscle function. By using the second catheter to measure abdominal pressure and subtracting it from vesical pressure, the system obtains a derived measurement of detrusor pressure without directly measuring it, thus preserving critical diagnostic information.
2Ease of operation
If conventional tests rely on patient subjective feedback and behavior-level measurements, then ease of operation is improved, but objectivity and quantitative assessment capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the subjective, behavior-level measurement system (patient interviews and questionnaires) with an objective, physiology-based measurement system using pressure sensors and spectral analysis. This substitution transforms qualitative patient feedback into quantitative spectral power and frequency metrics, dramatically improving measurement precision while maintaining operational feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameters from subjective behavioral indicators (patient reports of bladder feelings) to objective physiological parameters (spectral power and frequency of pressure fluctuations). This parameter transformation enables quantitative assessment of bladder state and non-voiding contractions, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and measurement precision.
3Reliability
If conventional urodynamic tests require bladder filling to voiding to achieve measurements, then measurement completeness is improved, but patient discomfort and pain increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by obtaining reliable bladder pressure measurements and spectral analysis data during the filling phase before voiding occurs. This allows assessment of detrusor muscle function and non-voiding contractions without requiring complete bladder emptying, thus maintaining measurement reliability while significantly reducing patient discomfort and pain associated with overfilling to voiding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary spectral analysis of pressure fluctuations during the filling phase to assess bladder function and detect non-voiding contractions before voiding occurs. This preliminary assessment provides valuable diagnostic information about bladder capacity and detrusor muscle performance without requiring the patient to endure the discomfort of filling to the point of voiding.
4Measurement precision
If conventional tests use inserted sensors to measure bladder pressure, then measurement capability is improved, but the ability to quantify non-voiding contractions and provide physiological relevance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the raw pressure measurement parameter into spectral domain parameters (power spectral density, spectral power, frequency) through Fourier analysis. This parameter transformation reveals hidden information about non-voiding contractions and detrusor muscle activity patterns that are not apparent in time-domain pressure readings alone, thus preventing information loss while maintaining precise pressure sensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies spectral analysis to detect and quantify rhythmic pressure fluctuations corresponding to non-voiding detrusor contractions. By analyzing the frequency content of pressure signals, the system identifies characteristic vibration patterns of bladder muscle activity, enabling quantification of non-voiding contractions that would be invisible in conventional time-domain pressure measurements.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for the clinical diagnosis of functional bladder states and disorders based upon contractile frequencies and variability. Systems and methods are also provided for the clinical diagnosis of functional bowel states and disorders based upon contractile frequencies and variability.