Bladder Fullness Level Indication Based on Bladder Oscillation Frequency

• US 20130289446A1
• Filed: 02/12/2013
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Stone, Richard T., Miesel, Keith A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,512,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/586
• 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 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/204 Determining bladder volume
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/725 using specific filters therefor, e.g. Kalman or adaptive filters A61B5/316 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0521 Genital electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36062 Spinal stimulation

Abstract

A bladder fullness level of a patient may be determined based on a frequency of mechanical oscillations of the bladder of the patient. The bladder may mechanically oscillate in response to the occurrence of non-micturition contractions of the bladder of the patient, which are contractions not associated with urine release. The frequency at which the bladder oscillates, e.g., following a non-micturition contraction, may have a correlation to the bladder fullness level. In some examples, a medical device may be configured to control the delivery of electrical stimulation therapy to the patient based on the oscillation frequency of the bladder. In addition, or instead to controlling therapy based on the oscillation frequency of the bladder, a notification, such as a patient or patient caretaker notification, may be generated (e.g., automatically by a processor of a device) based on the oscillation frequency of the bladder.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of mechanical oscillation of a bladder of a patient; and

a processor configured to receive the signal from the sensor, determine an oscillation frequency of the bladder based on the signal, and take a responsive action based on the oscillation frequency.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor configured to compare the oscillation frequency to a threshold value, and take the responsive action in response to determining the oscillation frequency is less than or equal to the threshold value.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory that associates a plurality of oscillation frequencies with respective responsive actions, wherein the processor is configured to determine the responsive action associated with the oscillation frequency in the memory.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a medical device configured to deliver therapy to the patient, wherein the processor is configured to take the responsive action by at least controlling the medical device to initiate therapy delivery to the patient.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the oscillation frequency comprises a first oscillation frequency, and wherein the processor is configured to, subsequent to controlling the medical device to initiate therapy delivery, determine a second oscillation frequency of the bladder based on the signal, and control the medical device to at least one of terminate, or adjust the delivery of therapy to the patient based on the second oscillation frequency.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a medical device configured to deliver therapy to the patient, wherein the processor is configured to take the responsive action by at least controlling the medical device to adjust at least one parameter of therapy delivered to the patient at the time the processor determined the oscillation frequency.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the medical device is configured to deliver electrical stimulation therapy to the patient according to a set of therapy parameter values, and the processor is configured to control the medical device to adjust at least one parameter of therapy by at least controlling the medical device to adjust at least one electrical stimulation parameter value of the set of therapy parameter values.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a medical device, wherein the medical device is configured to deliver a first electrical stimulation therapy to the patient to generate a first physiological effect, wherein the processor is configured to determine the oscillation frequency while the medical device is delivering the first electrical stimulation therapy to the patient, and wherein the processor is configured to take the responsive action by at least controlling the medical device to deliver a second electrical stimulation therapy to the patient, wherein the delivery of the second electrical stimulation therapy generates a second physiological effect that is different than the first physiological effect.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first physiological effect comprises inhibiting contraction of a bladder of the patient, and the second physiological effect comprises promoting contraction of one or more of a bladder outlet of the patient, an internal urinary sphincter of the patient, an external urinary sphincter of the patient, or periurethral muscles of the patient.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to take the responsive action by at least generating a notification that indicates an elevated bladder fullness level.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an acoustic or pressure sensor, a flexible printed circuit comprising pressure sensitive ink, a piezoresistor, a piezoelectric crystal, a capacitive sensor, a load cell, a force sensor, or a displacement sensor.

12. A method comprising:

with a processor, receiving, from a sensor, a signal indicative of mechanical oscillations of a bladder of a patient;

with the processor, determining an oscillation frequency of the bladder based on the signal; and

with the processor, taking a responsive action based on the oscillation frequency.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein taking the responsive action comprises:

with the processor, comparing the oscillation frequency to a threshold value; and

with the processor, taking the responsive action in response to determining the oscillation frequency is less than or equal to the threshold value.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising, with the processor, determining the responsive action to take by at least determining the responsive action associated with the oscillation frequency in a memory, wherein the memory associates a plurality of oscillation frequencies with respective responsive actions.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein taking the responsive action based on the oscillation frequency comprises, with the processor, controlling a medical device to initiate therapy delivery to the patient.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the oscillation frequency comprises a first oscillation frequency, and the method further comprises:

subsequent to controlling the medical device to initiate therapy delivery, determining, with the processor, a second oscillation frequency of the bladder based on the signal; and

controlling the medical device to at least one of terminate or adjust the delivery of therapy to the patient based on the second oscillation frequency.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein taking the responsive action based on the bladder contraction frequency comprises, with the processor, controlling a medical device to adjust at least one parameter of therapy delivered to the patient at the time the sensor generated a portion of the signal on which the oscillation frequency was determined.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the medical device is configured to deliver electrical stimulation therapy to the patient according to a set of therapy parameter values, and controlling the medical device to adjust at least one parameter of therapy comprises controlling the medical device to adjust at least one electrical stimulation parameter value of the set of therapy parameter values.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling a medical device to deliver a first electrical stimulation therapy to the patient to generate a first physiological effect, wherein determining the oscillation frequency comprises determining the oscillation frequency while the medical device is delivering the first electrical stimulation therapy to the patient, and wherein taking the responsive action comprises, with the processor, controlling the medical device to deliver a second electrical stimulation therapy to the patient, wherein the delivery of the second electrical stimulation therapy generates a second physiological effect that is different than the first physiological effect.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first physiological effect comprises inhibiting contraction of a bladder of the patient, and the second physiological effect comprises promoting contraction of one or more of a bladder outlet of the patient, an internal urinary sphincter of the patient, an external urinary sphincter of the patient, or periurethral muscles of the patient.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein taking the responsive action comprises generating a notification that indicates an elevated bladder fullness level.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an acoustic or pressure sensor, a flexible printed circuit comprising pressure sensitive ink, a piezoresistor, a piezoelectric crystal, a capacitive sensor, a load cell, a force sensor, or a displacement sensor.

23. A system comprising:

means for receiving, from a sensor, a signal indicative of mechanical oscillations of a bladder of a patient;

means for determining an oscillation frequency of the bladder based on the signal; and

means for taking a responsive action based on the oscillation frequency.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for taking the responsive action compares the oscillation frequency to a threshold value and takes the responsive action in response to determining the oscillation frequency is less than or equal to the threshold value.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

means for storing a plurality of oscillation frequencies and respective responsive actions; and

means for determining the responsive action, wherein the means for determining the responsive action is configured to determine the responsive action associated with the oscillation frequency in the means for storing.

26. The system of claim 23, further comprising means for delivering therapy to the patient, wherein the means for taking the responsive action controls the means for delivering therapy to the patient based on the oscillation frequency.

27. The system of claim 23, further comprising means for generating a notification, wherein the means for taking the responsive action controls the means for generating a notification to generate a notification based on the oscillation frequency.

28. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive, from a sensor, a signal indicative of mechanical oscillations of a bladder of a patient;

determine an oscillation frequency of the bladder based on the signal; and

take a responsive action based on the oscillation frequency.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions cause the processor to compare the oscillation frequency to a threshold value and takes the responsive action in response to determining the oscillation frequency is less than or equal to the threshold value.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions cause the processor to determine the responsive action to take by at least accessing a memory that associates a plurality of oscillation frequencies with respective responsive actions and determining the responsive action associated with the oscillation frequency in the memory.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions cause the processor to take the responsive action by controlling therapy delivery by a medical device.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions cause the processor to take the responsive action by generating a notification indicative of an elevated bladder fullness level.

33. A system comprising:

a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of mechanical oscillation of a bladder of a patient; and

a processor configured to receive the signal from the sensor, determine an oscillation frequency of the bladder based on the signal, determine, based on the oscillation frequency of the bladder, a function that indicates the change in volume of the bladder of the patient per unit time, and determine a current bladder volume based on the function.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the processor is configured to determine the current bladder volume based on the function by at least determining an amount of time that has elapsed since a last voiding event, and determining a total change in volume of the bladder since the last voiding event based on the function and the amount of time that has elapsed since the last voiding event.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the processor is configured to take a responsive action based on the current bladder volume.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor configured to compare the current bladder volume to a threshold value, and take the responsive action in response to determining the current bladder volume is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

37. The system of claim 35, further comprising a memory that associates a plurality of bladder volumes with respective responsive actions, wherein the processor is configured to determine the responsive action associated with the current bladder volume in the memory.

38. The system of claim 35, further comprising a medical device configured to deliver therapy to the patient, wherein the processor is configured to take the responsive action by at least controlling the medical device to initiate therapy delivery to the patient.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the oscillation frequency comprises a first oscillation frequency, and wherein the processor is configured to, subsequent to controlling the medical device to initiate therapy delivery, determine an updated bladder volume based on the function an amount of time that has elapsed since the last voiding event, and control the medical device to at least one of terminate, or adjust the delivery of therapy to the patient based on the updated bladder volume.

40. The system of claim 35, further comprising a medical device configured to deliver therapy to the patient, wherein the processor is configured to take the responsive action by at least controlling the medical device to adjust at least one parameter of therapy delivered to the patient at the time the processor determined the current bladder volume.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the medical device is configured to deliver electrical stimulation therapy to the patient according to a set of therapy parameter values, and the processor is configured to control the medical device to adjust at least one parameter of therapy by at least controlling the medical device to adjust at least one electrical stimulation parameter value of the set of therapy parameter values.

42. The system of claim 35, further comprising a medical device, wherein the medical device is configured to deliver a first electrical stimulation therapy to the patient to generate a first physiological effect, wherein the processor is configured to determine the current bladder volume while the medical device is delivering the first electrical stimulation therapy to the patient, and wherein the processor is configured to take the responsive action by at least controlling the medical device to deliver a second electrical stimulation therapy to the patient, wherein the delivery of the second electrical stimulation therapy generates a second physiological effect that is different than the first physiological effect.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the first physiological effect comprises inhibiting contraction of a bladder of the patient, and the second physiological effect comprises promoting contraction of one or more of a bladder outlet of the patient, an internal urinary sphincter of the patient, an external urinary sphincter of the patient, or periurethral muscles of the patient.

44. The system of claim 35, wherein the processor is configured to take the responsive action by at least generating a notification that indicates an elevated bladder fullness level.

45. The system of claim 33, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an acoustic or pressure sensor, a flexible printed circuit comprising pressure sensitive ink, a piezoresistor, a piezoelectric crystal, a capacitive sensor, a load cell, a force sensor, or a displacement sensor.

46. A method comprising:

with a processor, receiving, from a sensor, a signal indicative of mechanical oscillations of a bladder of a patient;

with the processor, determining an oscillation frequency of the bladder based on the signal;

with the processor, determining, based on the oscillation frequency of the bladder, a function that indicates the change in volume of the bladder of the patient per unit time;

with the processor, determining a current bladder volume based on the function; and

with the processor, taking a responsive action based on the current bladder volume.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein determining the current bladder volume comprises:

determining an amount of time that has elapsed since a last voiding event; and

determining a total change in volume of the bladder since the last voiding event based on the function and the amount of time that has elapsed since the last voiding event.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein taking the responsive action comprises:

with the processor, comparing the current bladder volume to a threshold value; and

with the processor, taking the responsive action in response to determining the current bladder volume is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

49. The method of claim 46, further comprising, with the processor, determining the responsive action to take by at least determining the responsive action associated with the current bladder volume in a memory, wherein the memory associates a plurality of bladder volumes with respective responsive actions.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein taking the responsive action based on the current bladder volume comprises, with the processor, controlling a medical device to initiate therapy delivery to the patient.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the oscillation frequency comprises a first oscillation frequency, and the method further comprises:

subsequent to controlling the medical device to initiate therapy delivery, determining, with the processor, an updated bladder volume of the patient based on the amount of time that has elapsed since the last voiding event; and

controlling the medical device to at least one of terminate or adjust the delivery of therapy to the patient based on the updated bladder volume.

52. The method of claim 46, wherein taking the responsive action based on the current bladder volume comprises, with the processor, controlling a medical device to adjust at least one parameter of therapy delivered to the patient at the time the current bladder volume was determined.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the medical device is configured to deliver electrical stimulation therapy to the patient according to a set of therapy parameter values, and controlling the medical device to adjust at least one parameter of therapy comprises controlling the medical device to adjust at least one electrical stimulation parameter value of the set of therapy parameter values.

54. The method of claim 46, further comprising controlling a medical device to deliver a first electrical stimulation therapy to the patient to generate a first physiological effect, wherein determining the current bladder volume comprises determining the current bladder volume while the medical device is delivering the first electrical stimulation therapy to the patient, and wherein taking the responsive action comprises, with the processor, controlling the medical device to deliver a second electrical stimulation therapy to the patient, wherein the delivery of the second electrical stimulation therapy generates a second physiological effect that is different than the first physiological effect.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the first physiological effect comprises inhibiting contraction of a bladder of the patient, and the second physiological effect comprises promoting contraction of one or more of a bladder outlet of the patient, an internal urinary sphincter of the patient, an external urinary sphincter of the patient, or periurethral muscles of the patient.

56. The method of claim 46, wherein taking the responsive action comprises generating a notification that indicates an elevated bladder fullness level.

57. The method of claim 46, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an acoustic or pressure sensor, a flexible printed circuit comprising pressure sensitive ink, a piezoresistor, a piezoelectric crystal, a capacitive sensor, a load cell, a force sensor, or a displacement sensor.

58. A system comprising:

means for receiving, from a sensor, a signal indicative of mechanical oscillations of a bladder of a patient;

means for determining an oscillation frequency of the bladder based on the signal;

means for determining, based on the oscillation frequency of the bladder, a function that indicates the change in volume of the bladder of the patient per unit time;

means for determining a current bladder volume based on the function; and

means for taking a responsive action based on the current bladder volume.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the means for determining the current bladder volume comprises:

means for determining an amount of time that has elapsed since a last voiding event; and

means for determining a total change in volume of the bladder since the last voiding event based on the function and the amount of time that has elapsed since the last voiding event.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein the means for taking the responsive action compares the current bladder volume to a threshold value and takes the responsive action in response to determining the current bladder volume is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

61. The system of claim 58, further comprising:

means for storing a plurality of bladder volumes and respective responsive actions; and

means for determining the responsive action, wherein the means for determining the responsive action is configured to determine the responsive action associated with the current bladder volume in the means for storing.

62. The system of claim 58, further comprising means for delivering therapy to the patient, wherein the means for taking the responsive action controls the means for delivering therapy to the patient based on the current bladder volume.

63. The system of claim 58, further comprising means for generating a notification, wherein the means for taking the responsive action controls the means for generating a notification to generate a notification based on the current bladder volume.

64. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive, from a sensor, a signal indicative of mechanical oscillations of a bladder of a patient;

determine an oscillation frequency of the bladder based on the signal;

determine, based on the oscillation frequency of the bladder, a function that indicates the change in volume of the bladder of the patient per unit time;

determine a current bladder volume based on the function; and

take a responsive action based on the current bladder volume.

65. The computer-readable medium of claim 64, wherein the instructions cause the processor to determine the current bladder volume by at least by at least determining an amount of time that has elapsed since a last voiding event, and determining a total change in volume of the bladder since the last voiding event based on the function and the amount of time that has elapsed since the last voiding event.

66. The computer-readable medium of claim 64, wherein the instructions cause the processor to compare the current bladder volume to a threshold value and takes the responsive action in response to determining the current bladder volume is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

67. The computer-readable medium of claim 64, wherein the instructions cause the processor to determine the responsive action to take by at least accessing a memory that associates a plurality of bladder volumes with respective responsive actions and determining the responsive action associated with the current bladder volume in the memory.

68. The computer-readable medium of claim 64, wherein the instructions cause the processor to take the responsive action by controlling therapy delivery by a medical device.

69. The computer-readable medium of claim 64, wherein the instructions cause the processor to take the responsive action by generating a notification indicative of an elevated bladder fullness level.