Apparatus for monitoring intra-abdominal pressure

Abstract

An improved apparatus for monitoring the intra-abdominal pressure of a hospitalized patient includes a urinary catheter connected to a urine valve having selectable communication positions between a discharge end of the urinary catheter and either a drain or a fluid source. Preferably, the urine valve has a housing adapted to resist patient discomfort from leg-valve contact. One operable protective housing may be embodied as a separate tray component. Plumbing structure desirably maintains fluid supply and drain conduits in a substantially parallel arrangement to assist routing those conduits between a patient's legs. When the urine valve is oriented for communication to the fluid source, an infusion pump may be used to introduce a known quantity of fluid through the urine valve and into the patient's bladder where the fluid's pressure can be measured. Desirably, a double check valve is included in a fluid supply path and arranged to permit repetitive operation of a syringe to inject a bolus of fluid into the patient's bladder. Subsequent to making a pressure measurement, the urine valve is returned to the bladder draining position.