This disclosure describes methods, systems, and devices configured to determine a timing of a future bladder related event of a patient. For example, a system includes processing circuitry configured to identify a timing of a plurality of bladder related events of a patient, determine, based on the timing of the plurality of bladder related events of the patient, a probability to experience a bladder related event function for the patient, the probability to experience a bladder related event function indicating a probability that the patient will experience a bladder related event at an elapsed time after a previous bladder related event, predict, based on the probability to experience a bladder related event function, a timing of a future bladder related event, and control delivery of a therapy to the patient based on the predicted timing of the future bladder related event.

An apparatus for sensing a property of a bladder wall, such as bladder-wall oxygen, comprises an elongate catheter (1) and an elongate sensor (2). The catheter (1) defines a path from a proximal end of the catheter to a distal end of the catheter. The catheter comprises a sensor channel for guiding the elongate sensor along at least a part of the path, the sensor channel opening at a sensor port (3) towards the proximal end of the catheter. The sensor channel comprises (i) an enclosed lumen portion (10), arranged to surround the sensor, and (ii) an open furrow portion (16). The furrow is located nearer to the distal end of the catheter than is the enclosed lumen. The furrow is arranged to allow the sensor (2) to exit the enclosed lumen (10) in a direction substantially parallel to, or tangential to, the path of the catheter (1) at a proximal end of the furrow.

A measurement probe includes: an elongated body that is insertable into a catheter having a flow path; a sensor fixed to the elongated body and capable of detecting a state of a fluid flowing in the flow path; and a sensor holding portion that holds the sensor at a predetermined position when the elongated body is inserted into the catheter. An output of the sensor changes depending on an oxygen partial pressure in the fluid, a carbon dioxide partial pressure in the fluid, a hydrogen ion index of the fluid, an amount of potassium ions in the fluid, an amount of sodium ions in the fluid, an amount of chlorine ions in the fluid, a temperature of the fluid, or a flow rate of the fluid.

The present disclosure relates generally to using detected bladder events for the diagnosis of urinary incontinence or the treatment of lower urinary tract dysfunction. A system includes a sensing device comprising a pressure sensor to directly detect a pressure within a bladder. The sensing device is adapted to be located within the bladder. The system also includes a signal processing device to: receive a signal indicating the detected pressure within the bladder; detect a bladder event based the detected pressure within the signal; and characterize the bladder event as a bladder contraction event or a non-contraction event. The characterization of the bladder event can be used in the diagnosis of urinary incontinence or the treatment of lower urinary tract dysfunction.

A urinary bladder irrigation device includes: a first pipe, a second pipe, a third pipe, a liquid supply member, a liquid collection member, a detection member, and an elevation member. The first pipe has a first opening at one end thereof. The second pipe has a second opening at one end thereof. The third pipe has an end connected to another end of the first pipe and another end of the second pipe and has a third opening at another end thereof. The liquid supply member is connected to the first opening. The liquid collection member is connected to the second opening. The detection member is positioned in the second pipe. The elevation member accommodates the detection member.

Embodiments of the invention provide bladder fullness monitoring systems and associated methods for such monitoring. One includes a controller and an active optical sensor that is affixed to a patient's bladder. The sensor emits light onto the bladder and further detects light reflected from the bladder, in order to generate an output signal that indicates an amount of emitted light was reflected back to the detector. The controller is coupled to the optical sensor to receive and interpret the output signals, e.g., to determine when the bladder is full. The controller may be operatively coupled to a urinary control apparatus which uses the output signals to trigger urination in patients who have lost the ability to voluntarily urinate. Embodiments are particularly useful for monitoring bladder fullness in patients who have lost bladder sensation and/or the ability to voluntary urinate and rely on a urinary control apparatus in order to urinate.

According to some embodiments, a device for tissue evaluation comprises a sensor housing, the sensor housing comprising a sensor head and a sensor body, where the sensor head is configured to engage with target tissue for evaluation, and a sensing element disposed within the sensor housing and configured to measure a force or reaction force of the target tissue as the device is pressed against the target tissue.

A plurality of bodies that attract one another are provided for implanting in a patient, specifically around a body passage of the patient. For example, the body passage may be the urethra, and the plurality of bodies may be implanted around the outside of the urethra, and the bodies being substantially coaxial with the urethra. The attraction between adjacent bodies may be provided by a magnetic or a mechanical force.

A bladder urodynamic measurement apparatus is provided, which can measure and record pressure inside a bladder continuously for a short time period to a long time period. A bladder urodynamic measurement apparatus 10 according to the present invention includes a pressure sensor 20 configured to measure a value of pressure that is applied to an inside of a urinary catheter 50 by urine in a bladder 55, and a recording device 30 configured to record a pressure value measured by the pressure sensor 20.

One aspect of the invention provides an autonomous continuous bladder irrigation device including: a color sensor programmed to detect a color of outflow from a catheter; an occlusion unit programmed to adjustably occlude a lumen providing irrigation to the catheter; and a controller in communication with the color sensor and the occlusion unit and programmed to control the occlusion unit to titrate irrigation flow to the catheter based on the color detected by the color sensor in order achieve a specified color of outflow from the catheter.