Electronic catheter stethoscope

A method for measurement and analysis of bodily functions using an electronic catheter stethoscope configured to connect to a plurality of types of catheters, comprising the steps of:

• connecting a housing of said electronic catheter stethoscope to a valve of a medical catheter selected from said plurality of types of catheters, wherein the valve is disposed on a proximal end of said medical catheter,
• wherein a purge/fill valve is mounted on said housing;
• inserting a distal end of said medical catheter into a patient's body while maintaining said proximal end and said housing outside the patient's body, wherein an interior of said medical catheter is in fluid communication with bodily fluids in said patient's body;
• said housing enclosing at least one transducer therewithin so that said at least one transducer is in communication with said interior of said medical catheter of said medical catheter and thus also in fluid communication with said bodily fluids in said patient's body,
• said at least one transducer sensing an acoustic field, a pressure, or a combination thereof of gaseous or liquid fluids within said medical catheter;
• introducing said gaseous or liquid fluids from said medical catheter into said housing through said purge/fill valve;
• purging said gaseous or liquid fluids from said medical catheter from said housing through said purge/fill valve;
• monitoring acoustic fields and pressure variations of said gaseous or liquid fluids within said medical catheter due to said bodily functions affecting said bodily fluids within said patient, wherein said gaseous or liquid fluids within said medical catheter are affected by changes in said bodily fluids within said patient's body and wherein said gaseous or liquid fluids within said medical catheter may include said bodily fluids as well depending on the bodily function being measured and analyzed;
• providing a data acquisition system for conditioning, amplifying and converting analog measurement signals generated by said at least one transducer to digital signals;
• positioning said data acquisition system externally of said housing;
• and
• providing electrical communication between said at least one transducer and said data acquisition system and said at least one transducer.