We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
ARAB HEALTH - INFORMA

Download Mobile App




Soft, Flexible, Battery-Free Implant Continuously Monitors Bladder Function

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 26 Mar 2024
Print article
Image: The new device for monitoring the bladder comprise multiple sensors which work together to measure strain (Photo courtesy of Northwestern University)
Image: The new device for monitoring the bladder comprise multiple sensors which work together to measure strain (Photo courtesy of Northwestern University)

Millions of people across the world struggle with bladder dysfunctions due to nerve, brain, or spinal cord problems arising from congenital conditions like spina bifida or injuries acquired during their lifetime. If left untreated, severe bladder dysfunctions can lead to frequent infections and urination issues, potentially damaging the kidneys and overall health. Now, researchers have developed a novel, soft, and flexible battery-free implant that attaches to the bladder wall to sense filling and wirelessly sends this data to a smartphone app, allowing real-time bladder fullness monitoring. This innovation marks the first such bioelectronic sensor to provide continuous bladder function monitoring for a prolonged time.

The new device developed by researchers at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL, USA) could be a game-changer for individuals with paralysis, spina bifida, bladder cancer, or severe bladder diseases, where bladder function is significantly compromised. It not only facilitates patient self-monitoring but also empowers clinicians to remotely observe patient conditions, enabling quicker, more informed treatment decisions. The device measures bladder expansion through strain sensors: as the bladder fills and stretches, the device detects this strain, transmitting the data via Bluetooth to a digital device. It can be designed either for permanent internal use or to dissolve post-recovery, depending on patient needs.

In animal models, the system provided accurate real-time measurements of bladder filling and emptying for 30 days and successfully delivered information for eight weeks in a study using non-human primates. The trials also revealed that the sensors are sensitive enough to detect strain from very low volumes of urine. Additionally, the developers are exploring the integration of the new technology with a biodegradable, stem cell-seeded "bladder patch" to potentially revolutionize bladder reconstruction surgeries, eliminating the need for intestinal tissue harvesting. This "patch" not only matches the bladder's expansions and contractions but also encourages new bladder tissue growth, eventually dissolving and leaving behind functional tissue. This comprehensive approach, tested over two years, demonstrates promising potential for restoring bladder function.

“We are working to integrate our bladder regeneration technology with this novel wireless bladder monitoring technology to restore bladder function and monitor the recovery process after surgery,” said Northwestern’s Guillermo A. Ameer, who co-led the work. “This work brings us closer to the reality of smart regenerative systems, which are implantable pro-regenerative devices capable of probing their microenvironment, wirelessly reporting those findings outside the body (to the patient, caregiver or manufacturer) and enabling on-demand or programmed responses to change course and improve device performance or safety.”

Related Links:
Northwestern University

New
Gold Member
X-Ray QA Meter
T3 AD Pro
Gold Member
12-Channel ECG
CM1200B
New
Vertebral Body Replacement System
Hydrolift
New
Mobile Power Procedure Chair
LeMans P360

Print article

Channels

Critical Care

view channel
Image: Changes in immune cells can predict patient recovery following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock)

Activating T Cells Could Improve Neurological Outcomes After Cardiac Arrest

Despite advancements in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and improved hospital access, survival rates after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remain low, with only about 10% of patients surviving.... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The portable biosensor platform uses printed electrochemical sensors for the rapid, selective detection of Staphylococcus aureus (Photo courtesy of AIMPLAS)

Portable Biosensor Platform to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Infections

Approximately 4 million patients in the European Union acquire healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) or nosocomial infections each year, with around 37,000 deaths directly resulting from these infections,... Read more

Health IT

view channel
Image: First ever institution-specific model provides significant performance advantage over current population-derived models (Photo courtesy of Mount Sinai)

Machine Learning Model Improves Mortality Risk Prediction for Cardiac Surgery Patients

Machine learning algorithms have been deployed to create predictive models in various medical fields, with some demonstrating improved outcomes compared to their standard-of-care counterparts.... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
Image: The acoustic pipette uses sound waves to test for biomarkers in blood (Photo courtesy of Patrick Campbell/CU Boulder)

Handheld, Sound-Based Diagnostic System Delivers Bedside Blood Test Results in An Hour

Patients who go to a doctor for a blood test often have to contend with a needle and syringe, followed by a long wait—sometimes hours or even days—for lab results. Scientists have been working hard to... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.