Patent ID: 7585280
Filing Date: 2009-09-08
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
1. A pressure sensing apparatus comprising: a pressure sensor component having a pressure sensing port, a pressure sensor for sensing a pressure of a fluid in the pressure sensing port, and a digital processor communicating with the pressure sensor for performing calculations involving fluid pressures sensed; a first chamber in fluid contact with the pressure sensing port; a second chamber fluidically connectable with a patient's cerebrospinal fluid system; and a membrane located between the first and second chambers so as to transmit fluid pressure from the second chamber to the first chamber; wherein the first chamber is filled with a fluid that transmits a pressure from the cerebrospinal fluid system to the pressure sensing port for measurement of the cerebrospinal fluid pressure; and wherein the pressure sensor component is an integral, hand-held component configured to calculate at least one selected from the group consisting of resting pressure, outflow resistance, and pressure volume index based on the cerebrospinal fluid pressure.