The long term objective is to develop a multichannel, diagnostic instrumentation system for recording the physiology of the non-pregnant human uterus. The current prototype can simultaneously record combinations of six physiologic parameters - electrical activity at the cervix, electrical activity inside the uterus, pressure changes inside the uterus, mean flow velocity in a uterine artery, subject report of pain/cramps intensity, and pulse delay by EKG. Patented innovations are: a non-invasive, cervical electrode cup for recording cervix/corpus electrical activity; and a non-invasive, vaginal Doppler probe for continuous recording of uterine artery flow velocity.
Specific aims are: to record a series of normals and patients with chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and endometriosis; to determine the feasibility of also recording the fetal EKG; and to improve the crystal rotation mechanism in the Doppler probe. This system has multiple potential applications as a research tool for studies of human reproduction, and as a diagnostic instrument for clinical gynecology. The pool of patients who might benefit is extensive: chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and endometriosis alone afflicts almost 20% of women at some point in their reproductive years.
| Hofmeister, J F; Slocumb, J C; Kottmann, L M et al. (1994) A noninvasive method for recording the electrical activity of the human uterus in vivo. Biomed Instrum Technol 28:391-404 |
