# Conscious ambulatory bladder monitoring to understand neural control of lower urinary tract function

> **NIH NIH OT2** · CLEVELAND CLINIC LERNER COM-CWRU · 2020 · $561,291

## Abstract

Mechanisms underlying neural control of the lower urinary tract (LUT) in health and disease, including
mechanisms of pathology development, are not well understood. New neurophysiology experiments to address
knowledge gaps are being conducted in awake, behaving animals, rather than under anesthesia, but
monitoring bladder function during chronic experiments remains a challenge. Current technologies can be used
to wirelessly monitor bladder pressure via a surgically placed suprapubic catheter, but these technologies are
limited because they do not measure bladder volume, which is an important variable; the catheter may irritate
the bladder and confound the data; the receiver coil is not portable, which requires the animal to remain in a
confined space for data collection; and the technology does not scale up to future human applications. A
wireless, catheter-free bladder pressure and volume sensor is needed for chronic experiments in awake,
behaving animals or humans to elucidate the neurophysiology of LUT function in health and disease.
We have developed a prototype for a small, wireless, catheter-free pressure transducer that is
rechargeable and can transmit continuous pressure data. We are building on this success by adding volume
sensing and modifying the packaging for intravesical bladder placement. This new device, the Urological
Monitor of Conscious Activity (UroMOCA), will be able to continuously measure and wirelessly transmit
pressure and volume data from within the bladder to a small, wearable receiver unit. We have tested a
potential packaging form factor in an animal bladder to demonstrate that it is not voided, nor does it obstruct
bladder emptying. We have also tested an electrical conductance method of estimating volume wherein a very
small current is passed between two outer electrodes and voltage is measured between two inner electrodes
within the urine contained in the bladder, which we use to determine conductance from Ohm’s Law. By
knowing the conductance, the conductivity of the urine, and the spacing between our electrodes, we were able
to estimate bladder volume and this method can be incorporated into the UroMOCA.
The goal of this proposal is to develop and validate the UroMOCA. The central hypothesis of this research
is that the UroMOCA will wirelessly provide accurate bladder pressure and volume measurements for future
neurophysiology experiments as validated by standard urodynamics tools and testing in conscious ambulating
animals. The objectives of the proposed work are to (1) develop the UroMOCA for intravesical pressure and
volume measurements by adding volume measurement to our previous design and repackaging the device
into a new form factor and (2) validating the biocompatibility and function of the device by testing in acute
nonsurvival and chronic ambulatory animal experiments. Completion of the proposed research will provide an
important tool, which could be used in conjunction with nerve, electrocardiogram, el...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10241211
- **Project number:** 3OT2OD023873-01S5
- **Recipient organization:** CLEVELAND CLINIC LERNER COM-CWRU
- **Principal Investigator:** DENNIS BOURBEAU
- **Activity code:** OT2 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $561,291
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2017-02-01 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10241211

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10241211, Conscious ambulatory bladder monitoring to understand neural control of lower urinary tract function (3OT2OD023873-01S5). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10241211. Licensed CC0.

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