External voiding sensor system

• US 8,072,338 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2009
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Rondoni, John C., Gerber, Martin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yacob, Sisay
• Application Number:
  US12/403,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20090174559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/500, 340571-604, 340/539.12, 128/885, 128/886, 446/192, 446/267, 600/546, 600/573, 604/361, 604/133, 604/362, 607/1, 607/39, 607 41- 48
• US Class Current: 340/573.5
• 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 5/14507 specially adapted for measuring characteristics of body fluids other than blood devices for taking samples of body liquids A61B10/0045
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/202 Assessing bladder functions, e.g. incontinence assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/208 adapted to determine urine quantity, e.g. flow, volume
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control

Abstract

The disclosure describes an external sensor attached to an undergarment worn by a patient that detects voiding information. The sensor stores the voiding information in a voiding log and transmits the voiding log to an external device. The external device includes a user interface that displays the voiding log to the patient for review. The patient may correct any incorrect voiding information that was logged in error or due to a non-voiding event. A user, such as a clinician or the patient, may use the voiding information to diagnose a condition of the patient. In addition, the voiding information of the voiding log may be used by the user to adjust a stimulation therapy or the external device to automatically adjust stimulation therapy. The undergarment may be disposable or washable after patient use.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting urinary voiding information via a sensor disposed external to a patient;

storing the voiding information in a voiding log;

delivering electrical stimulation therapy to the patient according to a set of stimulation parameters to alleviate urinary incontinence; and

automatically adjusting one or more of the stimulation parameters based on the voiding information in the voiding log.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is attached to skin of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is attached to clothing of the patient.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is held to skin of the patient via a strap.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a first sensor, the method further comprising:

receiving data from a second sensor that is implanted within the patient; and

correlating the urinary voiding information detected via the first sensor with the data from the second sensor.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining which data from the second sensor is indicative of a voiding event based on the urinary voiding information correlated with the data from the second sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the voiding information in a voiding log includes locally storing the voiding information in a voiding log in memory associated with the sensor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the voiding information in a voiding log includes transmitting the voiding information to an external device for storage in a voiding log in memory associated with the external device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the voiding information in the voiding log to a user; and

receiving user input correcting the voiding information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting voiding information comprises detecting voiding of urine from the patient.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising identifying a characteristic of the urine, wherein the characteristic is at least one of an impedance, a temperature, a pH, a volume, and an electrolyte concentration.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting one or more of the stimulation parameters includes adjusting one or more of the stimulation parameters in response to user input based on review of the voiding information in the voiding log.

13. A system comprising:

an external sensor positioned to detect urinary voiding information of a patient;

a memory that stores the voiding information in a voiding log;

an implantable stimulator that delivers electrical stimulation therapy according to a set of stimulation parameters to the patient to alleviate urinary incontinence; and

a processor that automatically adjusts one or more stimulation parameters based on the voiding information in the voiding log.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for attaching the external sensor to skin or clothing of the patient, or a strap that holds the external sensor to skin of the patient.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises a first sensor, the system further comprising a second sensor implanted within the patient, wherein the processor receives data from the second sensor and correlates the urinary voiding information detected via the first sensor with the data from the second sensor.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor determines which data from the second sensor is indicative of a voiding event based on the urinary voiding information correlated with the data from the second sensor.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the memory storing the voiding log resides within the sensor.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising an external device, wherein the memory storing the voiding log resides within the external device, and the sensor includes telemetry circuitry to transmit the voiding information to the external device.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising an external device that receives the voiding information in the voiding log from the sensor, wherein the external device receives user input correcting the voiding information.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor detects voiding of urine from the patient as at least part of the voiding information.

21. The system of claim 13, further comprising an external programmer that comprises the processor that adjusts the one or more of the stimulation parameters based on the voiding information in the voiding log.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor adjusts the one or more of the stimulation parameters in response to user input based on review of the voiding information in the voiding log.

23. A system comprising:

means for detecting urinary voiding information via a sensor disposed external to a patient;

means for storing the voiding information in a voiding log;

means for delivering electrical stimulation therapy to the patient according to a set of stimulation parameters to alleviate urinary incontinence; and

means for automatically adjusting one or more of the stimulation parameters based on the voiding information in the voiding log.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the sensor comprises a first sensor, the system further comprising

means for receiving data from a second sensor that is implanted within the patient;

means for correlating the urinary voiding information detected via the first sensor with the data from the second sensor; and

means for determining which data from the second sensor is indicative of a voiding event based on the urinary voiding information correlated with the data from the second sensor.