Urodynamic Catheter with MEMS Accelerometers for Bladder Function Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for diagnosing urinary incontinence, such as urodynamic testing, provide incomplete information and fail to effectively differentiate between types of incontinence, and do not capture muscle motion or motion due to Valsalva.
Innovation Solution
A urodynamic catheter and system featuring positional sensors, such as MEMS accelerometers, are used to monitor bladder function, including position, movement, pressure, and flow, and can be combined with an intravaginal or intrarectal device to provide more comprehensive data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional urodynamic testing is used, then bladder pressure and leakage can be evaluated, but muscle motion and Valsalva motion cannot be identified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines traditional urodynamic pressure sensors with accelerometers in a single catheter system. This merging allows simultaneous measurement of both bladder pressure and muscle motion/position, resolving the contradiction by capturing both types of data without requiring separate testing procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter system is designed to perform multiple functions: traditional urodynamic pressure measurement and new accelerometer-based motion detection. This multi-functionality enables the single device to capture both pressure gradients and muscle motion, eliminating the information loss that occurs with traditional single-function testing.
2Measurement precision
If urodynamic testing is used to diagnose urinary incontinence, then pressure gradients can be measured, but differentiation between types of incontinence is incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
By merging pressure measurement capabilities with accelerometer-based motion tracking, the system captures both the pressure gradient data and the corresponding muscle motion patterns. This combination provides the additional information needed to differentiate between stress urinary incontinence (SUI), urgency urinary incontinence, and mixed incontinence, resolving the diagnostic incompleteness.
Solution Approach 2:
The accelerometer acts as an intermediary sensor that captures muscle motion and position data, which serves as additional evidence to complement the pressure gradient measurements. This intermediary data helps differentiate incontinence types by providing information about pelvic floor muscle behavior during voiding and stress events.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are added to the catheter, then monitoring accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple sensor types (pressure sensors and accelerometers) into a single catheter structure. This merging approach allows the system to maintain improved monitoring accuracy through multi-parameter sensing while avoiding the complexity of using multiple separate devices or catheters.
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 system allows for accurate monitoring and diagnosis of urinary incontinence by providing detailed data on pelvic floor movements and pressure changes, enabling more precise identification of conditions such as urethral hypermobility and intrinsic sphincter deficiency.
Implementation Method 1
one or more positional sensors (e.g., MEMS accelerometers) positioned along a length of the device
Data Source
AI summary
Featured are urodynamic catheters, intravaginal devices, and intrarectal devices, systems and kits thereof, and methods of using the devices, systems, and kits to observe pelvic floor movements in order to monitor bladder function in order to diagnose, treat, or prevent urinary incontinence disorders, such as urge incontinence and stress incontinence.