Automated therapy system and method

Abstract

An automated therapy system having an infusion catheter; a sensor adapted to sense a patient parameter; and a controller communicating with the sensor and programmed to control flow output from the infusion catheter into a patient based on the patient parameter without removing fluid from the patient. The invention also includes a method of controlling infusion of a fluid to a patient. The method includes the following steps: monitoring a patient parameter with a sensor to generate a sensor signal; providing the sensor signal to a controller; and adjusting fluid flow to the patient based on the sensor signal without removing fluid from the patient.

1 .- 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for automated, real-time measurement of urine output, comprising:
 a catheter configured for insertion into a bladder of a patient;   an output receptacle in fluid communication with the catheter for collecting urine from the bladder of the patient;   at least one sensor in communication with the output receptacle, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect one or more biological parameters of urine collected within the output receptacle; and   a controller in communication with the at least one sensor, wherein the controller is programmed to automatically transmit data relating to the one or more biological parameters of the urine collected within the output receptacle to a remote data collection server.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the at least one sensor comprises a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the patient. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the at least one sensor comprises an EKG sensor for sensing an EKG of the patient. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the at least one sensor comprises a heart sensor for sensing a heart rate of the patient. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect for a presence of blood, bacteria, protein, or hemoglobin in the urine collected within the output receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the at least one sensor comprises an optical sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the at least one sensor comprises a mechanical sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the output receptacle comprises an optically clear window. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the data is associated with a particular individual patient. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the data is encrypted. 
     
     
         19 . A method of automating real-time measurement of urine output, comprising:
 receiving urine via a catheter from a bladder of a patient into an output receptacle;   detecting for one or more biological parameters of the urine collected within the output receptacle via at least one sensor in communication with the output receptacle;   processing the one or more biological parameters via a controller in communication with the at least one sensor; and   transmitting data relating to one or more biological parameters of the urine to a remote data collection server.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein detecting further comprises detecting a temperature of the patient. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein detecting further comprises sensing an EKG of the patient. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein detecting further comprises sensing a heart rate of the patient. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein detecting further comprises detecting for a presence of blood, bacteria, protein, or hemoglobin in the urine collected within the output receptacle. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein detecting comprises detecting for the presence via an optical sensor. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19  wherein transmitting further comprises associating the data with a particular individual patient. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19  wherein transmitting further comprises encrypting the data prior to transmitting.