Pneumatic Cuff Bladder Pressure Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for measuring bladder pressure in male patients are invasive, uncomfortable, and prone to infection, and non-invasive techniques provide limited, non-continuous data.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using an inflatable cuff around the penis to maintain a predetermined urine flow rate during voiding, allowing for continuous measurement of bladder pressure by adjusting cuff pressure, with optional pre-inflation or automatic inflation upon urine flow detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If invasive catheter techniques are used to measure bladder pressure, then measurement accuracy is improved, but patient comfort deteriorates and infection risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pneumatic cuff as an intermediary device that indirectly measures bladder pressure through its effect on urine flow, eliminating the need for direct catheter insertion into the bladder. The cuff applies external pressure to the penis/urethra area, and by measuring the cuff pressure required to maintain specific flow rates, bladder pressure is inferred without direct contact with the bladder interior, thus avoiding infection risk and patient discomfort associated with invasive procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical invasive catheter system with a pneumatic control system. Instead of mechanically inserting a catheter through the urethra into the bladder, the system uses pneumatic pressure applied externally via a cuff to control urine flow and measure bladder pressure indirectly through flow rate measurements and pressure-transducer relationships
2Object-affected harmful factors
If non-invasive pneumatic cuff techniques are used to measure bladder pressure, then patient comfort is improved, but measurement continuity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous measurement by maintaining the pneumatic cuff inflated throughout the voiding process and continuously monitoring urine flow rate. The system continuously adjusts cuff pressure to maintain a predetermined flow rate and continuously records the corresponding cuff pressures, providing an uninterrupted time-series dataset of bladder pressure measurements throughout the entire voiding episode, thereby eliminating the limitation of discrete sampling in previous techniques
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a feedback control system where the measured urine flow rate is continuously compared to a predetermined target flow rate, and the pneumatic cuff pressure is automatically adjusted based on this comparison. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures continuous maintenance of the desired flow condition and continuous acquisition of accurate bladder pressure data throughout voiding, enabling comprehensive continuous measurement without interruption
3Measurement precision
If cuff pressure is adjusted to maintain predetermined urine flow rate, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a feedback control system where the actual urine flow rate is continuously measured and compared to a predetermined target flow rate. Based on this comparison, the pneumatic cuff pressure is automatically adjusted to maintain the desired flow condition. This feedback mechanism simplifies the control strategy by using a single measurable parameter (flow rate) to drive the pressure adjustment, making the system manageable despite the added complexity of active pressure control
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the patient's own voiding mechanism and urine flow as the test medium, eliminating the need for external test equipment or additional sensors beyond the flow rate measurement. The pneumatic cuff system self-regulates by using the measured flow rate feedback to automatically adjust pressure, reducing the need for complex manual control procedures or multiple sensors
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
Enables continuous, accurate bladder pressure measurement at arbitrarily narrow intervals during voiding, reducing patient discomfort and infection risk while providing comprehensive data for clinical assessment.
Implementation Method 1
The cuff is operatively connected to a pneumatic pump which inflates the cuff and deflates the cuff as required
Implementation Method 2
The flow sensor converts the force applied by the urine collected during voiding into an electrical signal
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for measuring bladder pressure in a patient, comprises the steps of: attaching an inflatable cuff around the penis of the patient; maintaining a flow of urine at a predetermined flow rate for a period of time during voiding of the bladder, by means of deflating or inflating the cuff over said period of time, as required; and measuring the cuff pressures required to maintain said predetermined urine flow rate during said period of time.