Intrauterine balloon for induction of labor with intrauterine pressure catheter
AssigneeMEC Happens LLC
InventorJennifer M. Goldkamp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are devices, systems, and methods related to monitoring intrauterine pressure. An example method may include inserting a catheter assembly into an uterus of a patient such that a sensor of the catheter assembly is placeable within the uterus and an expandable region is positioned to facilitate dilation of a cervix, the sensor is operable such that an intrauterine pressure measurement is obtainable while the expandable region is expanded. Also, the monitoring intrauterine pressure may include expanding the expandable region to facilitate dilating the cervix. Furthermore, the monitoring intrauterine pressure may include obtaining an intrauterine pressure measurement of an amniotic space of the uterus.
Claims20
An intrauterine catheter assembly comprises:
- a catheter that is axially elongate and has a tube wall that defines a lumen disposed in a catheter shaft of the catheter, the tube further has an expandable region that is positioned along the shaft at the tube wall and is outwardly expandable to facilitate dilation of a cervix, and
- a sensor positioned along the shaft at a position that is distal to the position of the expandable region, the sensor is operable such that an intrauterine pressure measurement is obtainable while the expandable region is expanded.
A method of monitoring intrauterine pressure, the method comprising:
- inserting a catheter assembly into a uterus of a patient such that a sensor of the catheter assembly is placeable within the uterus and an expandable region is positioned to facilitate dilation of a cervix, the sensor is operable such that an intrauterine pressure measurement is obtainable while the expandable region is expanded;
- expanding the expandable region to facilitate dilating the cervix;
- and
- obtaining an intrauterine pressure measurement of an amniotic space of the uterus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.