Patient incontinence monitoring apparatus and method of use thereof

• US 20020145525A1
• Filed: 04/01/2002
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Augmentech Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Augmentech Incorporated
• Inventors: Friedman, Mark B., Casciola, Randall W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,774,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0285 Apparatus for single use
• 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 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/202 Assessing bladder functions, e.g. incontinence assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/447 specially adapted for aiding the prevention of ulcer or pressure sore development, i.e. before the ulcer or sore has developed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6808 Diapers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm

Abstract

A patient fluid discharge monitoring method and apparatus includes at least one article configured to be worn by a patient, the article having absorbent material and a RF tag received adjacent the absorbent material. The RF tag is excited with an excitation signal and the response of the RF tag to the excitation signal is detected. The detected response of the RF tag is compared to a predetermined response. The RF tag has a first detected response when the absorbent material has no fluid therein and a second detected response when the absorbent material has fluid therein.

Claims

1. A patient fluid discharge monitoring system comprising:

a liquid absorbent material configured to be positioned to receive fluid discharged from at least one of a urine discharge orifice and a fecal discharge orifice of a patient; and

a first RF tag positioned in contact with or in spaced relation with the liquid absorbent material, the first RF tag responsive to a wireless excitation signal in the absence of discharged fluid in the liquid absorbent material and responsive to the excitation signal in the presence of discharged fluid in the liquid absorbent material for causing at least one of (i) a unique change in the excitation signal and (ii) a change in a unique wireless response signal output by the first RF tag in response to the wireless excitation signal.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, further including:

means for transmitting the excitation signal; and

means for detecting any change in at least one of the excitation signal and the response signal.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first RF tag comprises one of:

an inductor coupled in parallel with a capacitive storage element and responsive to the excitation signal for causing the unique change in the excitation signal or the response signal.

a magnetostrictive element biased in a magnetic field of a magnet and responsive to the excitation signal for causing the unique change in the response signal; and

an antenna coupled to an RFID tag that is responsive to the excitation signal received by the antenna for causing the unique change in the excitation signal or the response signal.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of the liquid absorbent material and the first RF tag includes a dry electrolyte.

5. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein, in response to the discharged fluid combining with the dry electrolyte, said combination at least one of:

detunes the first RF tag from its resonant frequency; and

shields the first RF tag from the excitation signal.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the absorbent material is received in one of:

a diaper having the absorbent material and the first RF tag received between an inner lining and an outer cover, where at least part of the inner lining is fluid permeable; and

a pad having the absorbent material and the first RF tag received in a casing, where at least part of the casing is fluid permeable.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1, further including:

a transceiver for supplying the excitation signal to the first RF tag and for detecting the change at least one of (i) the excitation signal and (ii) the response signal; and

a detector for processing the change detected by the transceiver and for generating a signal as a function of the detected change.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1, further including a second RF tag positioned in contact with or in spaced relation with the liquid absorbent material, the second RF tag responsive to a wireless excitation signal in the absence of discharged fluid in the liquid absorbent material and responsive to the excitation signal in the presence of discharged fluid in the liquid absorbent material for causing at least one of (i) a unique change in the excitation signal and (ii) a change in a unique wireless response signal output by the second RF tag in response to the excitation signal.

9. The system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the second RF tag is spaced from the first RF tag whereupon discharged fluid received in the absorbent material first causes the first RF tag to respond and cause any change in at least one of the excitation signal and its response signal and then causes the second RF tag to respond and cause any change in at least one of the excitation signal and its response signal.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the first RF tag is formed on a flexible substrate;

the first RF tag includes two circuits, with each circuit responsive to the liquid absorbent material receiving discharged fluid for causing at least one of (i) the unique change in the excitation signal and (ii) the unique change in the wireless response signal output by the first RF tag in response to the excitation signal, the two circuits having a difference in the unique changes in the excitation signal caused thereby or a difference in the unique changes in the wireless response signal caused thereby; and

flexing of the substrate alters together the unique changes in the excitation signal or the unique changes in the wireless response signal caused by the circuits whereby the difference therebetween remains substantially the same.

11. A patient fluid discharge monitoring system comprising:

an article configured to be worn next to the skin of a patient, the article including an absorbent material for absorbing fluid discharged by the patient; and

an RF tag positioned adjacent the absorbent material, wherein the absorbent material and the RF tag are arranged whereupon in the absence of fluid in the absorbent material, the RF tag has is responsive to a wireless excitation signal and in the presence of fluid in the absorbent material, the response of the RF tag to the excitation signal changes.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the second detected response is a null.

13. The system as set forth in claim 11, further including:

means for generating the excitation signal;

means for detecting each response of the RF tag to the excitation signal; and

means for generating a signal as a function of at least one response of the RF tag.

14. The system as set forth in claim 11, further including a dry electrolyte contacting or covering at least part of the RF tag, wherein, in response to discharged fluid combining with the dry electrolyte, said combination at least one attenuates the excitation signal received by the RF tag and detunes a resonant frequency of the RF tag.

15. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the article is one of a diaper and a pad having a cover or lining that is at least part fluid permeable.

16. The system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the pad comprises one of an incontinence pad and a bandage.

17. The system as set forth in claim 11, further including another RF tag positioned adjacent the absorbent material, wherein the absorbent material and the other RF tag are arranged whereupon, in the absence of fluid in the absorbent material, the other RF tag has a first detected response to the excitation signal and, in the presence of fluid in the absorbent material, the other RF tag has a second detected response to the excitation signal.

18. The system as set forth in claim 11, further including another RF tag positioned in the article and isolated from the absorbent material whereupon the other RF tag has one detected response to the excitation signal regardless of the presence or absence of discharged fluid in the absorbent material.

19. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

the RF tag is positioned in the article to provide a first delay between the first and second detected responses thereof when the article initially receives discharged fluid in the form of urine; and

the system further includes another RF tag positioned in the article to provide a second delay between the first and second detected responses thereof when the article initially receives discharged fluid in the form of moist fecal discharge.

20. The system as set forth in claim 19, wherein the article includes a moisture barrier arranged adjacent the other RF tag for avoiding discharged urine from causing the change from its first detected response to its second detected response.

26. The method as set forth in claim 20, wherein:

step (a) includes providing a plurality of RF tags distributed throughout the article;

the second detected response of each RF tag occurs in response to the absorbent material adjacent the RF tag having fluid therein; and

the RF tags are arranged in the article whereupon fluid received in the absorbent material arrives adjacent each RF tag at a different time.

21. A method of monitoring patient fluid discharge comprising the steps of:

(a) providing at least one article configured to be worn by a patient, the article having absorbent material and an RF tag received adjacent the absorbent material;

(b) exciting the RF tag with an excitation signal;

(c) detecting a response of the RF tag to the excitation signal; and

(d) comparing the detected response of the RF tag to a reference response therefor wherein, the RF tag has a first detected response when the absorbent material has no fluid therein and a second detected response when the absorbent material has fluid therein.

22. The method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the second detected response is a null.

23. The method as set forth in claim 21, wherein:

the reference response and the first detected response are substantially the same;

the reference response and the second detected response are different; and

the method further includes the step of generating an alarm in response to detecting the difference between the reference response and the second detected response.

24. The method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the RF tag includes a powdered electrolyte contacting or covering at least a part of the RF tag.

25. The method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the second detected response of the RF tag includes one of:

a lower amplitude than the first response; and

a different frequency than the first response.

28. The system as set forth in claim 26, further including a moisture resistant barrier positioned in the diaper to avoid urine received in the absorbent material from contacting each second RF tag.

27. A patient fluid discharge monitoring system comprising:

a diaper having absorbent material received between a fluid impermeable cover and an fluid permeable lining;

a plurality of first RF tags each uniquely identifiable and each positioned near or adjacent at least one of the fluid impermeable cover and the absorbent material adjacent the fluid impermeable cover, the plurality of first RF tags distributed throughout the diaper and responsive to a wireless excitation signal for providing an indication of how much capacity of the absorbent material is available for receiving urine; and

at least one uniquely identifiable second RF tag positioned in the diaper near or adjacent the fluid permeable lining or in the absorbent material adjacent the fluid permeable lining in an area of the diaper configured to be positioned adjacent an anus of a patient when worn, the at least one second RF tag responsive to the wireless excitation signal for providing an indication of the absence and presence of feces near or adjacent the at least one second RF tag.