Valsalva Lung Pressure Monitoring System and Method

• US 20100234758A1
• Filed: 03/13/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laborie Medical Technologies, Corp. (2941881 Canada, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Laborie Medical Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: de Menezes, Alexandre C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,360,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/561
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/036 by means introduced into body tracts A61B5/032 and A61B5/035 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0823 Detecting or evaluating cough events
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/205 Determining bladder or urethral pressure

Abstract

A system and method in at least one embodiment includes a pressure monitor, mouthpiece and tubing connecting the pressure monitor and mouthpiece that measures coughed air to monitor Valsalva lung pressure in order to measure the abdominal pressure surrounding the bladder. The system and method provides a non-invasive and convenient system and method for determining an abdominal Leak Point Pressure that utilizes a mouthpiece connected to a pressure monitor in order to measure the lung pressure of an individual such that the abdominal pressure surrounding the bladder is determined.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring an abdominal pressure, comprising:

a pressure monitor, wherein said pressure monitor includes;

a pressure chamber;

a transducer in fluid communication with said pressure chamber, wherein said transducer generates a pressure signal; and

a controller in communication with said transducer, wherein said controller outputs a pressure reading based on said pressure signal where the pressure reading reflects abdominal pressures;

tubing connected to said pressure monitor to establish a pathway for air to travel from said tubing to said pressure chamber;

an airway filter connected to said tubing; and

a mouthpiece connect to an opposite end of said tubing from said pressure monitor.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a speaker.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pressure monitor includes a memory in communication with said controller.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pressure monitor includes a transmission module in communication with said controller.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pressure monitor includes an input button in communication with said controller.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mouthpiece includes a lip flange and bite wings that create a seal with the mouth and tubing.

8. A method for measuring an abdominal leak point pressure with a device having a pressure monitor and tubing connecting a mouthpiece to said pressure monitor, comprising:

placing the mouthpiece in the mouth of a patient;

having the patient perform Valsalva maneuvers such that air is expelled from the lungs and forced through the tubing;

measuring a pressure of the expelled air with the pressure monitor; and

checking the patient for a urinary leak.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the measured pressure is used to represent the abdominal Leak Point Pressure of said patient.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising displaying a visual indication of the measured pressure with a digital display.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising providing an audible indication of the measured pressure with a speaker.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the mouthpiece includes a lip flange and bite wings in order to form a seal in the mouth of the patient.

13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising storing at least one measured pressure in a memory in communication with said pressure monitor.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising receiving a signal to annotate at least one temporaneously measured pressure reading.

15. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

detecting a peak pressure in the plurality of measured pressures;

displaying the detected peak pressure on a display; and

storing the detected peak pressure in memory.

16. A method for measuring an abdominal leak point pressure with a device having a pressure monitor including a sensor and tubing connecting a mouthpiece to said pressure monitor, comprising:

placing the mouthpiece in the mouth of a patient, wherein the mouthpiece includes a lip flange and bite wings in order to form a seal in the mouth;

having the patient perform a Valsalva maneuver such that air is expelled from the lungs and forced through the tubing;

measuring a pressure of the expelled air with the pressure monitor;

receiving a signal to mark the pressure reading for an event;

storing the measured pressure in a memory and annotating the measured pressure data when the signal to mark is received; and

providing the measured pressure as representative of abdominal pressure.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising displaying a visual indication of the measured pressure with a digital display.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising providing an audible indication of the measured pressure with a speaker.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising transmitting the pressure reading to a remote device.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

detecting a peak pressure in the plurality of measured pressures;

displaying the detected peak pressure on a display; and

storing the detected peak pressure in memory.