Apparatus for monitoring intra-abdominal pressure
First Claim
1. An apparatus for measuring hydraulic pressure in the bladder of a medical patient whereby to infer intra-abdominal pressure, comprising:
- a catheter adapted for draining urine from said patient;
a container of fluid;
a first fluid path comprising conduit disposed between said container and a drain portion of said catheter;
a fluid pump disposed to urge fluid flow through said first fluid path;
a pressure transducer arranged to measure a pressure of said fluid in said first fluid path; and
an automatic flow-control device actuated, at least in part, by fluid pressure effected by said fluid pump, said automatic flow-control device being disposed in said first fluid path and operable to permit flow of said fluid from said container toward said pump and to resist flow of said fluid from said pump toward said container.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for monitoring intra-abdominal pressure in a medical patient includes a urinary catheter connected to a urine valve having selectable communication positions between a discharge end of the urinary catheter and either a drain or a fluid source. Preferably, the urine valve has a housing adapted to resist patient discomfort from body-valve contact. A plumbing structure desirably maintains fluid supply and drain conduits in a substantially parallel arrangement to assist routing those conduits between a patient'"'"'s legs. When the urine valve is oriented for communication with the fluid source, a syringe may be used to introduce a known quantity of fluid through the urine valve into the patient'"'"'s bladder where the fluid'"'"'s pressure can be measured. Desirably, a double check valve is included in a fluid supply path and arranged to permit repetitive operation of the syringe to introduce a bolus of fluid into the patient'"'"'s bladder.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring hydraulic pressure in the bladder of a medical patient whereby to infer intra-abdominal pressure, comprising:
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a catheter adapted for draining urine from said patient;
a container of fluid;
a first fluid path comprising conduit disposed between said container and a drain portion of said catheter;
a fluid pump disposed to urge fluid flow through said first fluid path;
a pressure transducer arranged to measure a pressure of said fluid in said first fluid path; and
an automatic flow-control device actuated, at least in part, by fluid pressure effected by said fluid pump, said automatic flow-control device being disposed in said first fluid path and operable to permit flow of said fluid from said container toward said pump and to resist flow of said fluid from said pump toward said container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for measuring hydraulic pressure in the bladder of a medical patient, comprising:
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a catheter adapted for draining urine from said patient;
a container of fluid;
a first fluid path between said container and a drain portion of said catheter;
a fluid pump disposed in said first fluid path;
a pressure transducer configured to measure a pressure of said fluid in said first fluid path at a location downstream of said pump; and
a multi-way valve comprising;
a first flow portion disposed in said first fluid path and arranged to receive fluid from said container;
a second flow portion disposed in a second fluid path configured as a drain for said catheter; and
a third flow portion disposed in said first fluid path for fluid communication with a urine discharge end of said catheter;
wherein;
said multi-way valve is operable selectively to resist fluid flow between said third flow portion and said second flow portion. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A method for measuring hydrostatic pressure in the bladder of a medical patient, comprising:
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a) installing a urinary catheter in said patient to provide fluid communication in a first fluid path comprising a stretch between said bladder and a discharge portion of said catheter;
b) disposing an inlet port of a urine valve in fluid communication with said first fluid path, said urine valve comprising a drain orientation and a measure orientation, said drain orientation providing communication between said inlet port and a second fluid path directed from said urine valve toward a drain receptacle, said measure orientation providing communication between said inlet port and a third fluid path between said urine valve and a source of fluid;
c) connecting said source of fluid to a pump operable to urge a fluid along said third fluid path toward said catheter;
d) disposing a pressure transducer to measure pressure of fluid between said pump and said bladder;
e) placing said urine valve into said measure orientation and operating said pump to introduce a bolus of said fluid into said bladder;
f) using said pressure transducer to measure a hydrostatic pressure of said fluid; and
g) placing said urine valve into said drain orientation. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification