Sensor Catheter for Pelvic Floor Muscle Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating male urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction, such as pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), face challenges in helping individuals visualize and achieve the proper muscle position and control for effective exercise regimens.
Innovation Solution
The use of a multiple sensor-enabled catheter that provides real-time data on the patient's anatomy and physiology, including muscular function and catheter position, allows for precise visualization and manipulation to relieve incontinence and strengthen pelvic floor muscles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If pelvic floor muscle training is performed without real-time feedback, then the exercise regimen can be performed without additional equipment, but the patient cannot visualize or attain the proper muscle position and control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by providing real-time data to the patient about their pelvic floor muscle activation and catheter position. This allows the patient to visualize proper muscle position and control during exercises, enabling them to achieve the correct anatomical state for treating urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a sensor-enabled catheter as an intermediary device that bridges the gap between the patient's internal physiological state and their awareness of it. The catheter with sensors acts as a mediator that translates invisible muscle movements and positions into visible, actionable data for the patient.
2Ease of operation
If real-time anatomical data is provided through sensor-enabled catheter, then proper muscle position and control can be achieved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor-enabled catheter serves multiple functions: it provides real-time anatomical data, monitors muscle activation, tracks catheter position, and guides therapeutic exercises. This multi-functionality justifies the increased device complexity by delivering comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities in a single integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The real-time feedback from the sensor-enabled catheter enables patients to perform exercises more effectively by visualizing proper muscle position and control. The feedback loop allows patients to adjust their technique immediately, improving exercise effectiveness and treatment outcomes.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are integrated into the catheter to provide comprehensive real-time data, then diagnostic accuracy and treatment precision improve, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensors into a single catheter device, combining position sensors, movement sensors, and pressure sensors into one integrated system. This consolidation improves diagnostic accuracy and treatment precision by providing comprehensive real-time data from multiple measurement points within the rectum.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor array is nested within the catheter structure, with multiple sensors positioned at different locations along the catheter length. This nested configuration allows comprehensive anatomical monitoring while maintaining a compact, manufacturable device design.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and devices to diagnose and treat male urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction are provided. A multiple sensor-enabled catheter for rectal insertion in a male patient allows for the visualization and manipulation or positioning of the bladder. A multiple sensor-enabled catheter for rectal insertion in a male patient allows for the visualization and implementation of efficient and effective exercises to strengthen pelvic floor muscles.