Accurate, Real-Time Measurement of Urine Flow

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 02 Nov 2010
An innovative device delivers precise urine measurement at the bedside, eliminating the guesswork needed in measuring urine from traditional urine bags.

The Urinfo 2000 device turns the urine flow into a series of uniform drops, subsequently converting the drop rate to an exact urine volume measurement. The readouts, displayed on an easy to read digital light emitting diode (LED) readout, can also be synchronized with various electronic health record (EHR) systems, eliminating the need for health care providers to manually measure the urine output and then record the data. The device can improve the effectiveness of treatment and assist in the detection of developing conditions in patients with cardio-renal syndrome, shock, preoperative or postoperative complications, hypervolemia, hypovolemia, pulmonary edema, and other comorbidities.

Image: The Urinfo 2000 urine flow measurement device (photo courtesy Flowsense Medical).

The system is composed of an optical drop reader, a digital display monitor with memory and event alarms, and disposable proprietary urine measurement and collection units. Among the benefits of the system are continuous monitoring of urine output automatically over time, reduced risk of cross infection, and indication of when a urine bag needs to be drained. The system also streamlines operations in the intensive care unit (ICU), freeing trauma unit staff from the time-consuming manual measurement of urine output, as well as ensuring adequate renal and fluid management and providing reliable indication of adequate perfusion. The Urinfo 2000 is a product of Flowsense Medical (Misgav, Israel).

Urine output is recognized as a key indicator of a patient's fluid balance and kidney function, particularly in the critical care environment. It is crucial for the clinical management of renal function, fluid, and electrolyte balance, as well as organ perfusion. Currently, urine output is measured by either urine bags or mechanical urine meters, which are labor intensive, inaccurate, and which do not provide real-time data. Conservative urine output monitoring also harbors problems such as subjective measurement, sampling time errors, and frequent contact with patient secretions.

Related Links:
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