Novel Pressure Sensor Capsule Produced in Silicone-Oil Modified PDMS Integrated with a Microflow Meter for Urinary Tract Obstruction Detection in Clinical Urology

This study develops an implantable bladder pressure sensor sealed in a novel biocompatible silicone-oil modified PDMS. The silicon-oil modified PDMS exhibits higher elasticity and smaller Young's modulus such that this material is a good candidate to seal a pressure sensing device and forms a pressure sensor capsule. To enhance the sensitivity of the pressure sensor capsule, this study tunes the silicon-oil ratio to adjust the mechanical characteristics of the PDMS elastomer to form the pressure sensor capsule. Results show that the developed pressure sensor capsule exhibits a good linear response in the range of 0–90 hPa. In addition, an in-vitro flow meter is also integrated with the pressure sensor capsule to measure the urine flow rate and the pee urinary kinetics. The comprehensive urination parameters are experimentally measured and calculated by the integrated uroflowmetry and the bladder implantable pressure sensor capsule.