Embodiments of the invention provide apparatus and methods for testing the efficacy of nerve stimulation therapy to treat patients who have urinary dysfunction prior to the implantation of an apparatus to treat the dysfunction. The apparatus and methods provide means to selectively stimulate the pudendal nerve with high and low frequency current to produce a physiologic response involved in the urination process (e.g., relaxation of the urinary sphincter and contraction of the bladder) and then measure information relating to the response. Particular embodiments involve the introduction of a urethral catheter configured to both fill the bladder and test the ability to control bladder voiding by applying stimulation current to the pudendal nerve and then measure the response information such as bladder pressure, urinary sphincter pressure and urinary flow rate. The catheter can include at least two electrodes and separate pressure sensors positioned for measuring the urinary sphincter and bladder pressure.

In some examples, electrical stimulation is delivered to a patient such that selective termination of the stimulation causes a therapeutic effect in the patient after termination of the electrical stimulation to the patient. The electrical stimulation may be insufficient to produce a desired therapeutic effect in the patient during stimulation, but sufficient to induce a post-stimulation desired therapeutic effect following termination of the stimulation. In some examples, the electrical stimulation may be sub-threshold electrical stimulation. In some examples, the desired therapeutic effect may alleviate bladder dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, or other disorders. The stimulation may be selectively terminated in response to one or more therapy trigger events to induce the post-stimulation therapeutic effect.

A method of detecting neural activity in a nerve is disclosed. A first electrical signal is received from a first pair of electrodes. A second electrical signal is received from a second pair of electrodes, the second pair of electrodes being spaced from the first pair of electrodes along the nerve. A correlation analysis is applied between the first and second electrical signals, including for at least one non-zero lag time, to obtain correlation data. From the correlation data, at least one neural signal is detected, indicative of neural activity in the nerve. The neural signal corresponds to increased correlation between the first and second signals at the at least one non-zero lag time.

This disclosure provides apparatus and methods for detecting pressure changes within a cavity of a patient. A pressure-sensing catheter comprises an elongate member and a monitor lumen. The pressure-sensing catheter may have a hollow pressure-compliant member in fluid communication with the monitor lumen and thereby define a fluid column. A connector apparatus can be in fluid communication with the monitor lumen, and can comprise a first complementary connector and a second complementary connector. One of the first complementary connector and the second complementary connector can have a pressurizing device that can displace a volume of fluid located within a bore of the other complementary connector into the fluid column, wherein the ratio of the volume of displaced fluid to the volume of the fluid column ranges from about 1:2 to about 1:4. The pressure catheter can comprise a radio-opaque band circumscribing the exterior of the elongate member.

A urodynamic investigation apparatus for receipt of urine from a bladder is provided. The apparatus is characterized by a tubular element, first and second fittings, and a sleeve element, for select passage of urine there through, within the tubular element. The tubular element is characterized by opposing first and second end portions, and a port. The fittings are adapted to be received by the opposing end portions of the tubular element so as to delimit an apparatus chamber. The sleeve element, suspended between the fittings within the chamber, has collapsed and open configurations. The collapsed configuration is indicative of a no urine flow condition, and the open configuration indicative of a urine flow condition, with the sleeve element urine flow condition being a function of pressure applied to the chamber via the port of the tubular element.

In some examples, electrical stimulation is delivered to a patient such that selective termination of the stimulation causes a therapeutic effect in the patient after termination of the electrical stimulation to the patient. The electrical stimulation may be insufficient to produce a desired therapeutic effect in the patient during stimulation, but sufficient to induce a post-stimulation desired therapeutic effect following termination of the stimulation. In some examples, the electrical stimulation may be sub-threshold electrical stimulation. In some examples, the desired therapeutic effect may alleviate bladder dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, or other disorders. The stimulation may be selectively terminated in response to one or more therapy trigger events to induce the post-stimulation therapeutic effect.

This disclosure provides apparatus and methods for detecting pressure changes within a cavity of a patient. A pressure-sensing catheter comprises an elongate member and a monitor lumen. The pressure-sensing catheter may have a hollow pressure-compliant member in fluid communication with the monitor lumen and thereby define a fluid column. A connector apparatus can be in fluid communication with the monitor lumen, and can comprise a first complementary connector and a second complementary connector. One of the first complementary connector and the second complementary connector can have a pressurizing device that can displace a volume of fluid located within a bore of the other complementary connector into the fluid column, wherein the ratio of the volume of displaced fluid to the volume of the fluid column ranges from about 1:2 to about 1:4. The pressure catheter can comprise a radio-opaque band circumscribing the exterior of the elongate member.

An implantable pressure sensor includes a housing and a sensing component that is housed by the housing and exposed to an external pressure that is exterior to the housing. In response to the external pressure, the sensing component is configured to undergo a physical transformation that is representative of a mean pressure of the external pressure over a period of time of at least one minute. The pressure sensor includes circuitry that is operatively coupled to the sensing component and that is responsive to the physical transformation of the sensing component to produce a mean pressure signal that is representative of the mean pressure of the external pressure over the period of time.

Systems, devices and methods for draining and analyzing bodily fluids are disclosed in which a drainage assembly is configured to prevent negative pressure build-up. The drainage assembly generally includes a catheter which may include a drainage lumen, a reservoir, a venting mechanism in fluid communication with the drainage lumen and a positive pressure lumen, and a controller. The venting mechanism may further include a valve which is configured to maintain a closed position, as well as a vent in fluid communication with the valve, where the venting mechanism is configured to inhibit wetting of the vent from fluid within the drainage lumen

A system and method includes receiving time-resolved images of a urinary tract of a subject as a bladder of the urinary tract begins, continues through, and completes a dynamic process involving a bladder and segmenting the time-resolved images of the urinary tract to identify boundaries of anatomical structures of the urinary tract. The method further includes performing a surface mapping of the boundaries of the anatomical structures to produce a consistent set of mapped anatomical structures across the time-resolved images, using a flow model and the consistent set of mapped anatomical structures, calculating metrics describing function of the urinary tract during the dynamic process, and generating a report using the metrics describing function of the urinary tract during the dynamic process.