Involuntary Contraction Induced Pressure as a Medical Diagnostic Tool

• US 20070135736A1
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pneumoflex Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Pneumoflex Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Stephens, Robert, Addington, W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,652,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/587
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00805 Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0823 Detecting or evaluating cough events
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/202 Assessing bladder functions, e.g. incontinence assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/205 Determining bladder or urethral pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6874 Bladder

Abstract

Techniques for detecting stress urinary incontinence use a pressure sensing catheter the electrical indications of which are applied to a processing unit for detecting pressure levels generated during involuntary coughs. The involuntary coughs are induced preferentially by using a nebulized composition of L-tartrate in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The area under the curve generated from pressure samples is calculated and used in conjunction with the detection of urine leakage to determine the existence of stress urinary incontinence.

Claims

1. A method for increasing intra-abdominal pressure, comprising the step of:

a. inducing an involuntary maneuver in a patient that can produce stress incontinence in a clinical setting.

2. The method of claim 1, used to assess or quantify neurological deficits.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the neurological deficits arise from at least one of stroke, trauma, neurological diseases, neurological disorders, pre-operative or post-operative recovery from anesthesia.

4. The method of claim 1, used to assess adequacy of neurological airway protection.

5. A method for detecting urinary stress incontinence, comprising the steps of:

a. inserting a pressure sensing catheter into a patients empty bladder;

b. filling the patient'"'"'s bladder to a predetermined level;

c. inducing one or more involuntary coughs in the patient; and

d. recording pressure levels detected by the pressure sensing catheter during involuntary coughs; and

e. determining urinary stress incontinence by identifying urine leakage accompanied by peak pressures above a given level.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the step of recording pressure levels comprises repeatedly sampling the pressure from the pressure sensing catheter.

7. The method of claim 5, in which the step of filling the patient'"'"'s bladder is followed by having the patient produce a voluntary cough prior to or after the step of inducing one or more involuntary coughs.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the step of having the patient produce a voluntary cough occurs while recording pressure levels detected by the pressure sensing catheter during the voluntary cough.

9. The method of claim 5, in which the step of recording pressure levels detected by the pressure sensing catheter comprises the steps of:

a. repeatedly sampling the pressure levels detected by the pressure sensing catheter; and

b. recording the sampled pressure levels.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of plotting the sampled pressure levels and displaying the resulting plot to a user.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of calculating area under a curve resulting from the plot of the sampled pressure levels.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of displaying the value of the area under the curve.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising using Simpson'"'"'s formula for calculating the area under the curve.

14. The method of claim 11, comprising using Bode'"'"'s formula for calculating the area under the curve.

15. The method of claim 5, the step of inducing one or more involuntary coughs in the patient comprises administering a nebulized composition of L-tartrate in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

16. The method of claim 5, in which the step of recording pressure levels detected by the pressure sensing catheter during involuntary coughs is initiated by one of;

a. a rapid increase in pressure;

b. a signal initiated by a user;

or

c. a signal initiated by activation of a nebulizer.

17. Apparatus for detecting urinary stress incontinence, comprising:

a. a pressure sensing catheter; and

b. a processor for receiving electrical signals from the pressure sensing catheter.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, in which the processor is configured to repetitively sample the electrical signals.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, in which the processor is configured to display a plot of samples of the electrical signals.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, in which the processor is configured to calculate area under a curve resulting from the plot of the samples of the electrical signals.

21. The method of claim 20, comprising using one of Simpson'"'"'s formula and Bode'"'"'s formula for calculating the area under the curve.