Implantable telemetric monitoring system, apparatus, and method

• US 20050096562A1
• Filed: 11/05/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Temple University of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education
• Original Assignee: Temple University of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education
• Inventors: Godavarthi, Bujjibabu, Pontari, Michel A., Delalic, Z. Joan, Ruggieri, Michael R. Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,101,343 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/561
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/036 by means introduced into body tracts A61B5/032 and A61B5/035 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/205 Determining bladder or urethral pressure

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and methods are disclosed for telemetrically monitoring parameters within a body of an animal such as a within a urinary bladder of a human. The system includes an implantable device configured for insertion within the body and an external device for use external to the body. The implantable device senses and stores one or more bodily parameters and transmits the stored bodily parameters for receipt by the external device responsive to receipt of a parameter transfer signal. The external device communicates with the implantable device, generates the parameter transfer signal, and receives the bodily parameters transmitted by the implantable device.

Claims

1. A telemetric monitoring system for monitoring one or more parameters within a body of an animal comprising:

an implantable device configured for insertion within the body, the implantable device further configured to sense and store one or more bodily parameters and transmit the stored bodily parameters responsive to receipt of a parameter transfer signal; and

an external device for use external to the body, the external device configured for communication with the implantable device, the external device further configured to generate the parameter transfer signal and receive the bodily parameters transmitted by the implantable device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable device is configured for insertion within a urinary bladder and the bodily parameter includes fluid pressure within the urinary bladder.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable device comprises:

a sensor that senses one of the bodily parameters;

a memory that stores the sensed bodily parameter;

a receiver that receives the download signal;

a transmitter that transmits a bodily parameter signal corresponding to the stored bodily parameter; and

a processor coupled to the memory, receiver, and transmitter, the processor generating the bodily parameter signal for transmission by the transmitter responsive to receipt of the download signal.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the sensor comprises:

a diaphragm responsive to the bodily parameter; and

a piezoresistive sensor coupled to the diaphragm for sensing the bodily parameter, the piezoresistive sensor generating a bodily parameter output signal at an output.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

an analog-to-digital converter having an input coupled to the piezoresistive sensor to digitize the bodily parameter output signal.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the analog-to-digital converter comprises:

an operational telescopic differential amplifier with folded common mode feedback having an output and input coupled to the piezoresistive sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises:

a transmitter that transmits the download signal;

a receiver that receives the bodily parameter signal from the implantable device;

a user input device that generates a transfer request signal; and

a processor that configures the transmitter to transmit the download signal responsive to the transfer request signal and configures the receiver to receive the bodily parameter signal.

8. An implantable device configured for insertion within a body of an animal for use with a remote transceiver module, the implantable device comprising:

a sensor that senses a bodily parameter;

a memory that stores the sensed bodily parameter;

a receiver configured to receive a download signal from a remote device external to the body;

a transmitter configured to transmit a bodily parameter signal corresponding to the stored bodily parameter from within the body for receipt external to the body; and

a processor coupled to the memory, receiver, and transmitter, the processor generating the bodily parameter signal for transmission by the transmitter responsive to receipt of the download signal through the receiver.

9. The implantable device of claim 8, wherein the implantable device is configured for insertion within a urinary bladder and the sensed bodily parameter is pressure within the urinary bladder.

10. The implantable device of claim 8, wherein the sensor comprises:

a diaphragm responsive to the bodily parameter; and

a piezoresistive sensor coupled to the diaphragm for sensing the bodily parameter, the piezoresistive sensor generating a bodily parameter output signal at an output.

11. The implantable device of claim 10, further comprising:

an analog-to-digital converter having an input coupled to the piezoresistive sensor to digitize the bodily parameter output signal.

12. The implantable device of claim 11, wherein the analog-to-digital converter comprises:

an operational telescopic differential amplifier with folded common mode feedback having an output and an input coupled to the piezoresistive sensor.

13. A telemetric monitoring method for monitoring parameters within a body of an animal, the method comprising:

sensing and storing one or more bodily parameters within a body;

generating a parameter transfer signal external to the body;

receiving the parameter transfer signal within the body;

responsive to receipt of the parameter transfer signal transmitting the bodily parameters from within the body for receipt by a device external to the body; and

receiving the bodily parameters transmitted from within the body at the device external to the body.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating the parameter transfer signal comprises the steps of:

receiving a transfer request signal;

generating the parameter transfer signal responsive to the transfer request signal; and

transmitting the generated parameter transfer signal.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the bodily parameter is pressure within a urinary bladder and the steps of sensing and storing are preformed by an implantable device and wherein the method further comprises the step of:

inserting the implantable device into the urinary bladder.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

removing the implantable device from the urinary bladder; and

comparing the parameter readings stored in the implantable device to the transmitted stored parameter readings received external to the body.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the sensing and storing step comprises the step of:

storing bodily parameters within the body responsive to a storage parameters signal generated external to the body.

18. A telemetric monitoring method for monitoring bodily parameters within a body of an animal;

the method comprising the steps of;

sensing a bodily parameter;

storing the sensed bodily parameter readings within the body;

receiving a parameter transfer signal within the body from a source external to the body; and

transmitting the stored sensed bodily parameter readings from within the body for receipt external to the body responsive to the received parameter transfer signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the bodily parameter is pressure within a urinary bladder and the steps of sensing and storing are performed by an implantable device and wherein the method further comprises the step of:

inserting the implantable device into the urinary bladder.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

removing the implantable device from the urinary bladder; and

comparing the parameter readings stored in the implantable device to the stored parameter readings transmitted for receipt external to the body.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the storing step comprises the step of:

storing bodily parameters within the body responsive to a storage parameters signal generated external to the body.