US 7,112,177 B2 · Apparatus for monitoring intra-abdominal pressure

Abstract

An apparatus for monitoring intra-abdominal pressure in a medical patient includes a urinary catheter connected to a urine valve having selectable communication positions between a discharge end of the urinary catheter and either a drain or a fluid source. Preferably, the urine valve has a housing adapted to resist patient discomfort from body-valve contact. A plumbing structure desirably maintains fluid supply and drain conduits in a substantially parallel arrangement to assist routing those conduits between a patient's legs. When the urine valve is oriented for communication with the fluid source, a syringe may be used to introduce a known quantity of fluid through the urine valve into the patient's bladder where the fluid's pressure can be measured. Desirably, a double check valve is included in a fluid supply path and arranged to permit repetitive operation of the syringe to introduce a bolus of fluid into the patient's bladder.

Claims26

Dependent claims

An apparatus for measuring hydraulic pressure in the bladder of a medical patient whereby to infer intra-abdominal pressure, comprising:

a catheter adapted for draining urine from said medical patient;
a container of fluid;
a first fluid path comprising conduit disposed between said container and a drain portion of said catheter;
a fluid pump disposed to urge fluid to flow through said first fluid path;
a pressure transducer arranged to measure a pressure of fluid in said first fluid path;
and
an automatic flow-control device actuated, by fluid pressure effected by said fluid pump, said automatic flow-control device being disposed in said first fluid path and comprising a valve element having a first surface and a second surface, and with said valve element being arranged such that the first surface may be displaced by suction action of said fluid pump to permit flow of fluid from said container toward said fluid pump while the second surface resists flow of fluid from said catheter toward said fluid pump, and the second surface may be displaced by expulsion action of said fluid pump to permit flow of fluid from said fluid pump toward said catheter while the first surface resists flow of fluid toward said container.

4 more elements

A method for measuring hydrostatic pressure in the bladder of a medical patient, comprising:

a) installing a urinary catheter in said medical patient to provide fluid communication in a first fluid path comprising a stretch between said bladder and a discharge portion of said catheter;
b) disposing an inlet port of a urine valve in fluid communication with said first fluid path, said urine valve comprising a drain orientation and a measure orientation, said drain orientation providing communication between said inlet port and a second fluid path directed from said urine valve toward a drain receptacle, said measure orientation providing communication between said inlet port and a third fluid path between said urine valve and a source of fluid, said urine valve comprising a housing defining an envelope arranged for contact with said medical patient and structured to resist imparting contact injury from structure associated with said urine valve to said medical patient;
c) connecting said source of fluid to a pump operable to urge a fluid along said third fluid path toward said catheter;
d) disposing a pressure transducer to measure pressure of fluid between said pump and said bladder;
e) placing said urine valve into said measure orientation and operating said pump to introduce a bolus of said fluid into said bladder;
f) using said pressure transducer to measure a hydrostatic pressure of said fluid;
and
g) placing said urine valve into said drain orientation.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for monitoring intra-abdominal pressure

Life of this patent

Apparatus for monitoring intra-abdominal pressure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26