Devices and methods for sensing bladder fullness

A modal sensor device for detecting fullness of a bladder of a patient, the sensor device comprising:

• a base surface to fixedly attach onto an external wall of the bladder without piercing an internal wall of the bladder;
• a light source coupled to the base surface, the light source configured to emit light in a plurality of wavelength ranges at the external wall to targeted regions within the bladder;
• and
• a light detector positioned to detect light scattered from the external wall of the patient's bladder based on the emitted light;
• wherein, in a first mode, the light source targets the emitted light, in a first of the plurality of wavelength ranges, to a first region of the targeted regions between the external wall and the internal wall of the bladder to determine bladder fullness based on a correlation between light reflected back to the detector and fullness of the bladder,
• wherein, in a second mode, the light source targets the emitted light, in a second of the plurality of wavelength ranges, from a proximal wall of the bladder relative to the sensor device to a second region of the targeted regions that coincides with a distal interior wall of the bladder to determine a time of flight measurement based on the light reflected back from the distal interior wall to calculate distance between the proximal wall and the distal wall,
• wherein, in a third mode, the light source targets the emitted light to a third region of the targeted regions, the third region being submerged below a fluid level in the bladder, to determine differences in refractive index between wall tissue of the bladder and liquid contents of the bladder,
• wherein the detector is configured to
• select the targeted region for directing the emitted light such that different types of information can be determined about the bladder in an output signal, the targeted region being selected from possibilities including the first region, the second region, or the third region,
• operate the sensor device in the first mode to receive the output signal from the sensor device in the first mode indicative of the fullness of the bladder;
• operate the sensor device in the second mode to receive the output signal from the sensor device in the second mode indicative of the distance between the proximal wall and the distal wall;
• and
• operate the sensor device in the third mode to receive the output signal from the sensor device in the third mode indicative of the differences in the refractive index between the wall tissue of the bladder and the liquid contents of the bladder.

A method to monitor fullness of a bladder of a patient, the method comprising:

• emitting light to targeted regions within the bladder, by a light emitter of a modal sensor device, in a plurality of wavelength ranges onto an external wall of the bladder, wherein the sensor device is affixed to the external wall of the bladder without piercing an internal wall of the bladder;
• detecting, by a detector of the sensor device, light reflected by the external wall of the bladder based on the emitted light;
• generating, by the sensor device, an output signal corresponding to the light reflected by the external wall based on the emitted light;
• operating, by a controller, the sensor device in a first mode to receive the output signal from the sensor device in the first mode, wherein, in the first mode, the light emitter targets the emitted light, in a first of the plurality of wavelength ranges, to a first region of the targeted regions between the external wall and the internal wall of the bladder to determine bladder fullness based on a correlation between light reflected back to the detector and fullness of the bladder;
• operating, by the controller, the sensor device in a second mode to receive the output signal from the sensor device in the second mode, wherein, in the second mode, the light emitter targets the emitted light, in a second of the plurality of wavelength ranges, from a proximal wall of the bladder relative to the sensor device to a second region of the targeted regions that coincides with a distal interior wall of the bladder to determine a time of flight measurement based on the light reflected back from the distal interior wall to calculate distance between the proximal wall and the distal wall;
• operating, by the controller, the sensor device in a third mode to receive the output signal from the sensor device in the third mode, wherein, in the third mode, the light emitter targets the emitted light to a third region of the targeted regions, the third region being submerged below a fluid level in the bladder, to determine differences in refractive index between wall tissue of the bladder and liquid contents of the bladder;
• selecting the targeted region for directing the emitted light such that different types of information can be determined about the bladder, the targeted region being selected from possibilities including the first region, the second region, or the third region;
• operating the sensor device in the first mode to receive the output signal from the sensor device in the first mode indicative of the fullness of the bladder;
• operating the sensor device in the second mode to receive the output signal from the sensor device in the second mode indicative of the distance between the proximal wall and the distal wall;
• and
• operating the sensor device in the third mode to receive the output signal from the sensor device in the third mode indicative of the differences in the refractive index between the wall tissue of the bladder and the liquid contents of the bladder.