Apparatus, systems and methods for sensing bladder fullness

An apparatus for monitoring the fullness of a bladder of a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a base comprising a flexible material, the base configured to be positioned in and attached to tissue between the patient's pubic bone and their bladder and to conform to a contour of the pubic bone so as to be mechanically supported by the public bone and to have a tear strength in a range of about 1 to 20 lbs/inch;
• a rigid layer attached to the base, at least a portion of the rigid layer comprising a conductive material;
• an insulative layer positioned over at least a portion of the conductive portion of the rigid layer;
• a deformable membrane positioned over and hermetically sealed to the rigid layer along a perimeter of the membrane, the membrane defining a cavity between the membrane and the rigid layer, the cavity filled with a fluid, the membrane positioned and configured to deform from force exerted by the bladder against the membrane so as to exert a pressure on the fluid, the pressure correlated to a degree of fullness of the bladder;
• and wherein the mechanical support provided by the pubic bone to the base prevents the membrane from being substantially deformed by force from tissue other than the bladder;
• and
• a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure of the fluid within the cavity, the pressure sensor positioned on a portion of the rigid layer within the cavity, electrically coupled to the conductive portion of the rigid layer and configured to generate a signal correlated to a degree of distension of the bladder.

A method for monitoring the fullness of a bladder of a patient, the method comprising:

• fixedly positioning a bladder fullness monitoring apparatus (BFMA) between the patient's pubic bone and their bladder such that the BFMA is subjected to force from distension of the patient's bladder but is not substantially effected by force from tissue other than that from the bladder;
• the BFMA configured to generate an output signal corresponding to an amount of distension of the patient's bladder;
• generating the output signal in response to the amount of distension of the patient's bladder;
• and
• performing an electronically controlled function when the output signal exceeds a predetermined threshold.