Active bladder scanner

Diaperman95

Diaperman95

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  1. Incontinent
I came across this by mistake and I thought maybe it could help some of our incontinent members with a neurogenic bladder that cant feel when they need to void. I could see this being really great for people with spinal cord injuries that have to self catheter themselves multiple times a day on a clock. Now they could just do it when they truly need too and know their bladder is full before it is about to spill over. I had a friend in high school who's sister was about 4 years younger and paralyzed at birth. She had to self cath and her senior year she got drunk and said the hell with it, but her condition instead of incontinence caused her bladder ruptured and it almost killed her. It can be very damaging to kidneys to hold it to long too. I just seen this scanner that you tape over your bladder and it lets you see and monitor your bladder capacity with a smart phone. It still is a little big and clunky but I bet in time like all electronics they will get smaller. I think this is a AMAZING Idea so I thought I would pass it a long.

 
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Diaperman95 said:
I came across this by mistake and I thought maybe it could help some of our incontinent members with a neurogenic bladder that cant feel when they need to void. I could see this being really great for people with spinal cord injuries that have to self catheter themselves multiple times a day on a clock. Now they could just do it when they truly need too and know their bladder is full before it is about to spill over. I had a friend in high school who's sister was about 4 years younger and paralyzed at birth. She had to self cath and her senior year she got drunk and said the hell with it, but her condition instead of incontinence caused her bladder ruptured and it almost killed her. It can be very damaging to kidneys to hold it to long too. I just seen this scanner that you tape over your bladder and it lets you see and monitor your bladder capacity with a smart phone. It still is a little big and clunky but I bet in time like all electronics they will get smaller. I think this is a AMAZING Idea so I thought I would pass it a long.

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@Diaperman95 .... Thank you for sharing! I had no idea this existed. I am going to talk to my urologist this week about it and see what he thinks. The Manufacturers site i linked here has more information. My thought is It'd be nice to know if a particular fill volume is what triggers my OAB... my thought is no... but if it is and I could get a handle on that, it could be life changing.
 
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It's basically like a ultrasound for at home. When I had my sci more so when I asked to stop cathing because of the infection I was basically threatened in a way though I do understand the possibility of the damage it could cause if the bladder doesn't empty or you have retention issues but for me my issue wasn't retention. But per the docs everytime I was changed the nurses had to scan my bladder and if there was anything over a certain amount I was to be given an antibiotic and cathed. Let's just say by like the 3rd day I was getting scanned maybe twice a day once at night till eventually they stopped.

But I do see it as a good tool if someone has retention issues or potential of them, though it could get someone off a schedule and cath when it's needed the issue would be if it fails, isn't accurate or a person relies on it without learning potential warning signs like someone might not get the signal because of the cord damage but instead they might get something else. Perfect example is for me tell tail sign something is off or a problem is if I sweat profusely from my head or get nauseated those usually happens before the others.

But my concern would be like over 10yrs ago and tech has improved but still involves technology but they came out with a new tool for intubations called a glide-a-scope basically it was an intubation blade with a camera on one end and a screen on the other & don't get me wrong it was neat tool but there was a bunch of new docs they only learned how to intubate people using them and when they broke or didn't work and they did fortunately there were people that learned how to put a tube in without gadgets. I am not crapping on technology by any means like I have actually looked into smart-diaper modules with my memory issues I think if it worked and was discreet potentially help unfortunately the tech isn't their yet but the potential is and they have some that can even alert to ph being off like early warning of potential uti.

Though tech is neat I do think knowing other means is just as valuable because sometimes people get fixated or rely on technology like most medical diapers have a wetness indicators, though sounds little dirty sometimes you just need to feel or lightly squeeze it like with cloth diapers it's kind of required there isn't an indicator of sorts.
 
Very cool. Seems like it might be ahead of its time. It the future, this might be something that helps with potty training and bedwetting. Who needs an alarm that reminds you to go potty at regular intervals when you can use one to tell you exactly when it is time, or wakes you up before you wet the bed rather than while you are wetting the bed.
 
ParaRomeo said:
It's basically like a ultrasound for at home. When I had my sci more so when I asked to stop cathing because of the infection I was basically threatened in a way though I do understand the possibility of the damage it could cause if the bladder doesn't empty or you have retention issues but for me my issue wasn't retention. But per the docs everytime I was changed the nurses had to scan my bladder and if there was anything over a certain amount I was to be given an antibiotic and cathed. Let's just say by like the 3rd day I was getting scanned maybe twice a day once at night till eventually they stopped.

But I do see it as a good tool if someone has retention issues or potential of them, though it could get someone off a schedule and cath when it's needed the issue would be if it fails, isn't accurate or a person relies on it without learning potential warning signs like someone might not get the signal because of the cord damage but instead they might get something else. Perfect example is for me tell tail sign something is off or a problem is if I sweat profusely from my head or get nauseated those usually happens before the others.

But my concern would be like over 10yrs ago and tech has improved but still involves technology but they came out with a new tool for intubations called a glide-a-scope basically it was an intubation blade with a camera on one end and a screen on the other & don't get me wrong it was neat tool but there was a bunch of new docs they only learned how to intubate people using them and when they broke or didn't work and they did fortunately there were people that learned how to put a tube in without gadgets. I am not crapping on technology by any means like I have actually looked into smart-diaper modules with my memory issues I think if it worked and was discreet potentially help unfortunately the tech isn't their yet but the potential is and they have some that can even alert to ph being off like early warning of potential uti.

Though tech is neat I do think knowing other means is just as valuable because sometimes people get fixated or rely on technology like most medical diapers have a wetness indicators, though sounds little dirty sometimes you just need to feel or lightly squeeze it like with cloth diapers it's kind of required there isn't an indicator of sorts.
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I can agree no tech is going to be perfect and we should not rely only on on it. But as someone who has had retention my entire life I can certainly see the benefits. If you think about it the hospitals now relay greatly on bladder scanners. Mine is just my bladder does not completely empty so I pass a cath only once a day. It just keeps me from getting infections as stagnent urine will build if it is not emptied. But I am not in danger of hurting my kidneys or bladder if I miss. To be honest I do miss more than I should. LOL But I can tell when I am really holding a lot or a little. The other benefit of me cathing though is my bladder wont start leaking until it has over 100-150cc. I would not use this at the moment with the way things are for me but I certainly see where it could help folks. Especially people taking care of loved ones. Like many patients with dementia, they just forget they need to go pee. I could see this being a great aid for those folks and care givers too. If they are reminded to take their loved one to the potty when needed they will have less diapers to change. But I do see your point that not all tech is perfect. Nor should we trust in only it. I just thought it might be something some of our community might like to know about..
 
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I think it's neat tool to have and for your needs it's definitely something that probably would be good to have (more so if insurance pays for it) because you have retention issues and you probably have a good understanding of your bladder and when cathing is required.

I will add my experiences with cathing is also different besides the whole infection issue at first my insurance didn't want to pay for enough & docs were like you can wash & sanitize them ummm ya nope I believe caths are 1 time use, though I hope insurance has changed I would be concerned if someone had retention and limited caths trying to push it to the max like my app says it only has 400ml's it can wait. I won't lie before when money was tight I made sure diapers were well used or to max vs now I can change before any potential leaks or times where a tape rips and you duct tape it on so your not wasting one. I just wouldn't want someone taking risks.

But I remember when I was being scanned regularly in the hospital it was rare but like few times I was scanned and by the time they went to get cathing supplies my diaper was wet and that's when orders were changed to scan at diaper changes. Also I do think some providers are better than others like some didn't seem to understand how bladders work(or not work) so like I had a few panic, like they were about to change me & scan to find low amounts it's like yes I do hydrate so at some point it will fill than release it's only awkward when it releases when I don't have a diaper on(I think I mentioned it in another post honestly not sure what is more embarrassing for men though it doesn't happen with me but some pop wood when changed or in my case I have a fountain effect which is something new parents can experience)
 
ParaRomeo said:
I think it's neat tool to have and for your needs it's definitely something that probably would be good to have (more so if insurance pays for it) because you have retention issues and you probably have a good understanding of your bladder and when cathing is required.

I will add my experiences with cathing is also different besides the whole infection issue at first my insurance didn't want to pay for enough & docs were like you can wash & sanitize them ummm ya nope I believe caths are 1 time use, though I hope insurance has changed I would be concerned if someone had retention and limited caths trying to push it to the max like my app says it only has 400ml's it can wait. I won't lie before when money was tight I made sure diapers were well used or to max vs now I can change before any potential leaks or times where a tape rips and you duct tape it on so your not wasting one. I just wouldn't want someone taking risks.

But I remember when I was being scanned regularly in the hospital it was rare but like few times I was scanned and by the time they went to get cathing supplies my diaper was wet and that's when orders were changed to scan at diaper changes. Also I do think some providers are better than others like some didn't seem to understand how bladders work(or not work) so like I had a few panic, like they were about to change me & scan to find low amounts it's like yes I do hydrate so at some point it will fill than release it's only awkward when it releases when I don't have a diaper on(I think I mentioned it in another post honestly not sure what is more embarrassing for men though it doesn't happen with me but some pop wood when changed or in my case I have a fountain effect which is something new parents can experience)
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Wow. I have peed during changes a couple times my self. Not every time. But babies do it a lot and I think it has to do with the temperature change from warm diaper to air.

I had a doctor that thinks reusing a catheter is safe. He wanted me to just wash them and use them then once a week soak them in vinegar. That is my urologist but I had my family doc write a script for reusable. But when I was waiting for my disability I had to do that several times. I think I got more UTI’s than I did without cathing.


I bet this is going to be a item that insurance covers. Especially if they think it will safe on catheter use. Mine are about 10 bucks each. They allow up to six a day on Medicare.
 
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