Constantinou Christos E, Omata Sadao
Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
Neurourol Urodyn. 2007;26(3):386-91. doi: 10.1002/nau.20263.
The development of a vaginal probe for the evaluation of the dynamics of pelvic floor function is described. Fundamental criteria in the design of this probe involves the incorporation of a means of assessing whether the isotonic forces closing the vagina are equally distributed or whether they are greater in some directions than others. The aim of this study is to present the design of directionally sensitive multi-sensor probe, having circumferential spatial resolution, constructed to identify the distribution of anisotropic forces acting on the vagina following voluntary and reflex pelvic floor contractions.
Probe system consists of four pairs of force/displacement sensors mounted on leaf springs enabling isotonic measurements of voluntary and reflex contractions. Assembly is retractable to 23 mm for insertion, and expandable to 60 mm for measurement. Simultaneous measurements were made of force and displacement with the sensors oriented in the anterior/posterior and left/right orientation of the vagina. Using this probe, measurements were carried out to identify the temporal and spatial characteristic response of the vaginal wall. Data were analyzed with respect to voluntary pelvic floor and cough-induced contractions of nine subjects having a mean age of 64 years.
A robust probe system was developed and measurements were successfully made. Initial results show that the maximum force and displacement occurs during reflex contractions in the anterior aspect of the vagina validating the anisotropic nature of the forces acting on the vaginal wall. The data also show that both the force and displacement produced by the cough-induced has a higher magnitude than voluntary pelvic floor contraction.
A directional multi-sensor vaginal probe has been developed to evaluate the force and displacement produced during isotonic pelvic floor contractions. Analysis of the results provided new biomechanical data demonstrating the anisotropic nature of vaginal closure as a consequence of pelvic floor contractions.
描述一种用于评估盆底功能动态的阴道探头的研发情况。该探头设计的基本标准包括采用一种方法来评估闭合阴道的等张力是否均匀分布，或者在某些方向上是否比其他方向更大。本研究的目的是展示一种具有周向空间分辨率的方向敏感型多传感器探头的设计，该探头旨在识别在自主和反射性盆底收缩后作用于阴道的各向异性力的分布。
探头系统由安装在板簧上的四对力/位移传感器组成，能够对等张的自主和反射性收缩进行测量。组件可缩回至23毫米以便插入，展开至60毫米以便测量。传感器分别沿阴道的前后和左右方向布置，同时测量力和位移。使用该探头进行测量，以确定阴道壁的时间和空间特征响应。对9名平均年龄为64岁的受试者的自主盆底和咳嗽诱发收缩进行了数据分析。
研发出了一个坚固的探头系统并成功进行了测量。初步结果表明，最大力和位移出现在阴道前侧的反射性收缩期间，这验证了作用于阴道壁的力的各向异性性质。数据还表明，咳嗽诱发产生的力和位移的幅度均高于自主盆底收缩。
已研发出一种方向多传感器阴道探头，用于评估等张盆底收缩期间产生的力和位移。对结果的分析提供了新的生物力学数据，证明了盆底收缩导致阴道闭合具有各向异性性质。
