Monitoring conditions of a patient's urinary system

Abstract

A monitoring system and method are presented for use in monitoring a condition of a patient's urinary system. The monitoring system comprises an acoustic assembly comprising at least one acoustic receiver adapted for continuously receiving acoustic signals during a patient's urination and generating data indicative thereof. The monitoring system also includes a control unit that is in communication with said acoustic assembly. The control unit is configured and operable for analyzing said generated data indicative of the continuously received acoustic signals during a patient's urination, obtaining a time variation of the acoustic signal during the urination and determining a corresponding spectral data of the acoustic signal. The control unit further analyzes the spectral data and, upon detecting at least one first signal peak corresponding to a condition of turbulence in the urine flow, determining a relation between said first signal peak and a second signal peak corresponding to a condition of laminar urine flow. Based on said relation, the control unit determines the condition of a patient's low urinary system and generating output data indicative thereof.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention is generally in the field of medical devices, and relates to a device and method for monitoring conditions of a patient's urinary system.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Monitoring of a condition of a patient's urinary system is needed for detecting various types of the urine system abnormality, including inter alia prostate enlargement. The latter is a widespread phenomenon developed in more than half men over age 50. By age 80, about 80% of men have enlarged prostates. The prostate enlargement is thought to be related to hormonal disorders typical to the age, and is termed Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or BPH. In a minority of the cases, the prostate enlargement involves prostate cancer.[0003]Whatsoever be the cause, enlarged prostate may lead to bladder control problems. This is because the prostate gland encircles the urethra beneath the bladder neck. An enlarged prostate exerts pressure on the urethra which may deform its shape and redu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]There is a need in the art for a novel technique for non-invasive instant indication of parameters indicative of a patient's urinary system condition (in particular, urinal flow velocity profile, urethral obstruction degree, pressure in urinary bladder and detrusor pressure), capable of shortening and facilitating the process of screening and diagnosing for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS), even before any physical symptoms have actually been experienced by the patient.

Problems solved by technology

Whatsoever be the cause, enlarged prostate may lead to bladder control problems.

The latter test, however, cannot determine the cause of obstruction, which can be due not only to BPH, but possibly also to abnormalities in the urethra, weak bladder muscles, or other causes.

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