Apparatus and Method for Medical Measurement

• US 20100168608A1
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laborie Medical Technologies, Corp. (2941881 Canada, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Laborie Medical Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Dijkman, Gerrat
• Granted Patent: US 8,708,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/561
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02158 provided with two or more sensor elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/036 by means introduced into body tracts A61B5/032 and A61B5/035 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/205 Determining bladder or urethral pressure

Abstract

A measuring device for medical applications in at least one exemplary embodiment includes a first part provided with measuring means for measuring data of a patient, and a second part provided with communication means for sending the data. In at least one exemplary embodiment, the second part is connected to and preferably enclosed within the first part.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one pressure sensor unit including

a housing having at least one pressure chamber and at least one catheter connector where a passageway is present from the catheter connector to the pressure chamber,

a pressure sensor in each pressure chamber, and

at least one electrical connector;

a module including

at least one connector jack for releasably connecting to said at least one electrical connector of said at least one sensor unit, and

a wireless transmitter in electrical communication with said at least one connector; and

a memory in electrical communication with said pressure sensor.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said module further includes a plurality of electrode jacks, said plurality of electrode jacks are connected to said wireless transmitter.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said module further includes means for measuring electrophysiological signals.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said memory stores data from said at least one pressure sensor.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said memory is in said pressure sensor unit.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a processor connected to said memory and said wireless transmitter.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one catheter attached to one of said at least one pressure sensor unit, where an interior passageway in said catheter is in fluid communication with said pressure sensor.

8. A system for measuring and transmitting data to an external device, the system comprising:

at least one catheter transferring fluid having a pressure;

at least one pressure sensor connected to said at least one catheter detecting the pressure of the fluid;

at least one cassette housing said at least one pressure sensor; and

a transmitter releasably connected to said at least one cassette, said transmitter receiving an electrical signal representing a fluid pressure from said at least one pressure sensor and transmitting a signal based on the electrical signal to the external device.

9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a memory connected to said transmitter.

10. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a power supply connected to said transmitter.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein said at least one cassette further includes

a valve connected to said catheter, and

a cover connected to said valve.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said valve is a one-way valve.

13. The system according to claim 8, further comprising

a processor connected to said transmitter, and

a plurality of electrode jacks connected to said processor;

and

wherein said processor and said plurality of electrode jacks together are adapted to measure electrophysiological data.

14. An apparatus comprising:

at least one cassette including

a housing having a pressure chamber,

an one-way valve connected to the pressure chamber,

a catheter connector connected to the pressure chamber at an end opposite to said one-way valve,

a sensor in said housing and exposed to said pressure chamber such that said sensor can detect a pressure of fluid present in said pressure chamber, and

an electrical connector connected to said sensor;

a communications module including

at least one connector jack releasably connected to one of said at least one electrical connector,

a wireless transmitter connected to said at least one connector jack; and

wherein when said at least one electrical connector is connected to said at least one connector jack, an electrical pathway exists between said sensor and said transmitter.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a memory in communication with said transmitter and said sensor.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising at least one catheter attached to each cassette.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said communications module further includes a receiver.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said communications module further includes a processor.

19. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said communications module further includes a plurality of electrode jacks.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said communications module further includes a processor connected to said plurality of electrode jacks that together are adapted to measure electrophysiological data.