Manometric Probe Balloon Pressure Standardization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current manometric probes for anal sphincter health assessment are invasive, time-consuming, and provide non-standardized, invasive data that are not easily comparable across different apparatuses and operators, making them cumbersome for patients and challenging for scientific analysis.
Innovation Solution
A manometric probe with a hollow cylindrical main body, a detachable plug, and an extensible membrane chamber that can be filled with pressurized fluid, allowing for absolute pressure measurements by inflating the membrane to a reference pressure and measuring pressure variations within the anal sphincter, providing average pressure values that are easier to interpret and compare.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional manometric probes with holes and internal channels are used, then pressure measurements can be obtained, but the examination time is long and patient discomfort is high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the measurement function from the complex internal channel system and concentrates it at the single distal tip of the probe. The pressure sensor is positioned only at the tip, eliminating the need for multiple holes and internal fluid channels, thereby simplifying the probe structure and reducing examination complexity and time
Solution Approach 2:
The probe is segmented into distinct functional zones: a simple tubular body for insertion, a sensor-only distal tip for measurement, and a control mechanism for balloon inflation. This segmentation allows the measurement function to be isolated and optimized independently, reducing overall system complexity
2Measurement precision
If traditional probes with multiple holes and internal channels are used, then pressure data can be collected, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes all internal channels and holes from the probe body, extracting the pressure sensing function to the distal tip only. This eliminates the complex internal fluid pathway architecture while preserving the essential measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having pressure sensors distributed throughout the probe body via internal channels, the invention inverts the approach by placing a single sensor at the distal tip and using a balloon to transmit pressure information to this external sensor, simplifying the overall structure
3Measurement precision
If traditional probes are used, then pressure measurements are obtained, but the results are not standardized and cannot be compared across different apparatuses
Solution Approach 1:
The probe incorporates a standardized reference pressure chamber that can be filled with fluid to establish known pressure references. This universal reference system allows any apparatus using this probe design to achieve comparable measurements, enabling data standardization across different devices and operators
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a controllable reference pressure parameter through the balloon inflation mechanism. By establishing known reference pressure states, the system transforms variable, apparatus-dependent measurements into standardized, comparable data across different devices
4Measurement precision
If invasive probes with holes are used, then pressure measurements can be made, but patient comfort is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes all holes from the probe body that would cause discomfort, extracting the measurement function to a single external sensor at the distal tip. This eliminates the invasive holes while preserving measurement capability through the balloon-mediated pressure transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The balloon acts as an intermediary element between the anal canal environment and the external pressure sensor. It transmits pressure information without requiring direct contact between the sensor and the canal, reducing invasiveness and patient discomfort
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The probe significantly reduces examination time, increases patient comfort, and provides standardized, shareable data, allowing for more accurate and repeatable measurements of anal sphincter pressure, facilitating the detection of diseases or dysfunctions.
Implementation Method 1
a chamber (4), which is external to the main body (2), said chamber (4) being fed with a pressurized fluid
Data Source
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AI summary
A manometric probe, comprising: a main body (2) provided with a longitudinal axis (X); an extensible membrane (3) sealingly associated to at least two annular areas of the main body (2) so as to delimit a chamber (4) external to the main body (2); feed means (51,52) arranged so as to enable feeding of a fluid inside the chamber (4).