Method for measuring a bulbocavernosus reflex

• US 9,392,955 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2013
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uroval, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uroval, Inc.
• Inventors: Folkerts, Debra J., Finstrom McPhee, Karen Louise, Johnson, Gregory Ray, Gack, Timothy Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Eiseman, Adam J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Warsi, Yasmeen S
• Application Number:
  US13/892,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20130289437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1107 Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ, muscle apparatus for measuring work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/202 Assessing bladder functions, e.g. incontinence assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/296 for electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/391 of genito-urinary organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4064 Evaluating the brain A61B5/031, A61B5/369, A61B5/14553 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4368 Sexual arousal evaluation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4375 for evaluating the male reproductive system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4884 inducing physiological or psychological stress, e.g. applications for stress testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/68 Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for measuring muscle reflexes (e.g., a bulbocavernosus reflex) as a tool for identifying/diagnosing dysfunctions (e.g., spinal cord abnormalities, bladder voiding dysfunction, and sexual organ dysfunction) non-invasively by using mechanical stimulation. The system and method includes a probe having a predetermined patient contacting portion, wherein when the contacting portion is moved into contact with a particular area of the patient (e.g., the patient'"'"'s genitals), the contact induces a muscle reflex. The probe detects the pressure resulting from the contacting portion being abruptly and forcibly brought into contact with the particular area. Such detection is used to electronically initiate capture of electrical responses from a plurality of electrodes placed on the patient'"'"'s skin in proximity to the particular area. Such electrical responses are processed to determine characteristics of the patient'"'"'s reflexes of one or more muscles adjacent to the electrodes.

Claims

1. A non-invasive method for measuring a bulbocavernosus reflex, comprising:

providing a probe comprising;

a housing with an opening therethrough, said housing operably associated with a probe tip;

a patient contact shield cap for covering the probe tip, said cap having a shaft which is slidable along an axis within a bore through the cap, said shaft extending through the bore, said shaft being movable along a longtidunal axis and having an expanded portion that prevents the shaft from sliding out of the opening in the housing;

said shaft having an inner end attached to an elastomeric component, said inner end of the shaft and the elastomeric component being received in a recess within the probe, wherein the shaft is slidable along the axis within the recess, the elastomeric component fitting within the recess and exerting a force effective for causing the expanded portion to contact the interior of the cap; and

a single electrical conductor attached to the expanded portion and concentric to the shaft;

abruptly forcing the contact shield cap into contact with a patient'"'"'s genital area, wherein the shaft slides along the axis and thereby compresses the elastomeric component by an amount effective for causing the conductor to contact a pair of spaced apart electrodes; and

detecting current flow between the electrodes to identify a time indicative of the cap contacting the patient for inducing a bulbocavernosus reflex;

wherein upon abruptly contacting a patient'"'"'s genital area, the electrical conductor moves toward the probe tip and slides past the pair of electrodes so that the flow of current between the electrodes ceases, and wherein said detecting current flow step provides a signal effective for commencing the timing of a delay in a bulbocavernosus reflex.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cap includes a flat spring provided along the shaft, said flat spring being folded against the shaft in an original position and is moved toward the probe tip in a second position.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising storing data indicative of a history of activation of the probe.