Advancing Patient Care: Innovative Use of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for Monitoring Urine Volume in Neurogenic...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical engineering
• Medical device development
• Wearable technology

Background:

• Current guidelines for spinal cord injury patients recommend timed clean intermittent catheterization (CIC), which presents significant challenges and burdens for individuals, especially outside the home.
• Existing methods for managing bladder volume can be inconvenient and intrusive, impacting patient quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel digital device for real-time monitoring of bladder urine volume, aiming to overcome the limitations of current time-based CIC protocols.
• To create a non-invasive, wearable sensor for improved bladder management in patients with spinal cord injuries.

Main Methods:

• Development of an optode sensor utilizing near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology, designed for abdominal skin placement over the bladder.
• In vitro validation using a bladder phantom to simulate lower abdominal optical properties.
• Proof-of-concept in vivo validation with a single volunteer to measure light intensity changes related to urine volume variations.

Main Results:

• The optode sensor demonstrated robust performance across diverse conditions, with consistent attenuation measurements at maximum test volumes.
• Multiplex measurements and analysis of matrix symmetry showed potential for accurate sensor localization, crucial for deep learning models.
• Feasibility validation confirmed that the NIRS sensor achieved results comparable to clinical ultrasound scanners.

Conclusions:

• The developed NIRS-based wearable optode sensor is capable of accurately measuring bladder urine volume in real-time.
• This technology presents a promising, less burdensome alternative for bladder management in patients requiring CIC.