Urinary catheter systems and methods

Inventors

MEYERS, Jared P. • KALINSKY, Stephen T. • GARCIA, Camille Diaz

Assignees

Augment Health Inc

Abstract

The present disclosure discusses a urinary catheter attachment that is equipped with a sensor and microcontroller that monitors bladder parameters, such as pressure or volume, and determines when the bladder is full and should be voided. In various embodiment, the disclosed system allows individuals who cannot know, feel, or remember when their bladder should be voided to use catheter accessories such as catheter valves. According to various embodiments, the system computes bladder fullness through an algorithm and triggers the alert system when a bladder fullness threshold is passed. In various embodiments, the alert system includes, but is not limited to, notifications via smartphone or smart devices, wearable technology, and patient management systems. The alert system may be substituted with an electronically actuated catheter valve.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to urinary catheter attachment systems and computing systems configured to noninvasively detect bladder fullness using hydrostatic pressure measured from a hydrostatic pressure column extending through a catheter system into a patient's bladder. A front hollow interior fluidly connected to a catheter extends into the patient's bladder and supports one or more transducers that continuously measure hydrostatic pressure data of the hydrostatic pressure column.

The computing system receives the hydrostatic pressure data, filters the hydrostatic pressure data to remove one or more artifacts, and continuously computes the bladder fullness level based on the filtered hydrostatic pressure data. The computing system continuously compares the bladder fullness level to a predetermined threshold.

The system provides a visualization of the bladder fullness level and the comparison of the bladder fullness level to the predetermined threshold. The system further provides one or more notifications to the patient, including an initial notification determined based on the patient's mobility and provided at a time prior to an expected voiding event.

Claims Coverage

The document provides two independent claims covering a continuous bladder-fullness monitoring workflow based on filtered hydrostatic pressure data, threshold comparison, and visualization, with patient notification timing based on mobility in the system claim.

Across the two independent claims, the core claim coverage centers on continuously measuring hydrostatic pressure through a catheter system into a bladder, filtering out artifacts, continuously computing a bladder fullness level, continuously comparing that level to a predetermined threshold, and providing visualization. The system claim additionally requires patient notifications with an initial notification determined based on the patient's mobility and provided prior to an expected voiding event.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications