Method of evaluating constipation using an ingestible capsule
First Claim
1. A method of evaluating constipation in a subject having one or more symptoms of constipation, said subject having swallowed an ingestible capsule comprising a pH sensor and a temperature sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
- recording pH and temperature measurements from said pH and temperature sensors, respectively, as a function of time as said capsule moves through at least a portion of the gastrointestinal tract of said subject;
transmitting said pH and temperature measurements to a processor outside of said gastrointestinal tract of said subject, wherein said processor is configured to;
determine said capsule'"'"'s location at a first position and at a second position in said gastrointestinal tract as a function of said measurements;
determine transit time between said first position and said second position to ascertain colonic transit time (CTT) and whole-gut transit time (WGTT);
provide a reference transit time; and
compare said CTT and said WGTT to said reference transit time to evaluate said subject for constipation, wherein said constipation is verified when said CTT and WGTT are slower compared to said reference transit time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for diagnosing constipation comprising the steps of providing an ingestible capsule (20) having a given density and a pH sensor (22) and a temperature sensor (24), having a subject ingest the capsule, recording pH measurements from the pH sensor as a function of time as the capsule moves through at least a portion of the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, transmitting the pH measurements to a processor (19) outside of the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, recording temperature measurements from the temperature sensor as a function of time as the capsule moves through at least a portion of the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, transmitting the temperature measurements to a processor (19) outside of the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, determining transit time of the capsule between a first location in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject and a second location in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject as a function of the pH measurements and the temperature measurements, providing a reference transit time that is a function of the density of the capsule, and comparing the determined transit time to the reference transit time to evaluate the subject for constipation.
139 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of evaluating constipation in a subject having one or more symptoms of constipation, said subject having swallowed an ingestible capsule comprising a pH sensor and a temperature sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
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recording pH and temperature measurements from said pH and temperature sensors, respectively, as a function of time as said capsule moves through at least a portion of the gastrointestinal tract of said subject; transmitting said pH and temperature measurements to a processor outside of said gastrointestinal tract of said subject, wherein said processor is configured to; determine said capsule'"'"'s location at a first position and at a second position in said gastrointestinal tract as a function of said measurements; determine transit time between said first position and said second position to ascertain colonic transit time (CTT) and whole-gut transit time (WGTT); provide a reference transit time; and compare said CTT and said WGTT to said reference transit time to evaluate said subject for constipation, wherein said constipation is verified when said CTT and WGTT are slower compared to said reference transit time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 11, 14)
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5. A method of evaluating constipation in:
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a subject having one or more symptoms of constipation, said subject having swallowed an ingestible capsule comprising a pH sensor, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor, the method comprising the steps of; recording pH, pressure and temperature measurements from said pH, pressure and temperature sensors, respectively, as a function of time as said capsule moves through at least a portion of the gastrointestinal tract of said subject; transmitting said measurements to a processor outside of said gastrointestinal tract of said subject, wherein said processor is configured to; determine said capsule'"'"'s location at a first position and at a second position in said gastrointestinal tract as a function of said measurements; determine transit time between said first position and said second position to ascertain colonic transit time (CTT) and whole-gut transit time (WGTT); provide a reference transit time; and compare said CTT and WGTT to said reference transit time to evaluate said subject for constipation, wherein said constipation is verified when said CTT and said WGTT are slower compared to said reference transit time. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 12, 15)
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9. A method for determining the presence and severity of slow colonic transit constipation (SCTC) in a subject having one or more symptoms of constipation, said subject having swalloded an ingestible capsule comprising a temperature sensor and one or both of a pH sensor and a pressure sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
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recording measurements from said temperature sensor and one or both of said pH sensor and said pressure sensor as a function of time as said capsule moves through said subject'"'"'s colon; transmitting said measurements to a processor external to said subject, wherein said processor is configured to; determine said capsule'"'"'s transit time based on a first colonic position and a second colonic position as a function of said measurements; compare said measurements to a reference transit time; diagnose the presence of said SCTC based on the comparison, wherein said subject is afflicted with said SCTC if said capsule'"'"'s transit time is slower than said reference transit time, wherein the slower the capsule'"'"'s transit time relative to the reference transit time, the more severe the SCTC. - View Dependent Claims (10, 13, 16)
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Specification