Physiological pressure monitor

Claim 1

A physiological pressure device for continuously monitoring a muscle compartment of a patient, said device comprising: a portable housing including means for attaching said housing in proximity to a muscle bundle associated with the muscle compartment of the patient being monitored; an elongated implantable catheter having one end terminating in a probe exhibiting wicking action, said probe adapted to be implanted within the muscle compartment of the patient; pressure sensing means disposed in said portable housing means and connected to the other end of said catheter means for sensing pressure in said muscle compartment by way of said implanted probe; means within said housing and responsive to said pressure sensing signal for providing a first information signal indicative of the pressure inside said muscle compartment; stimulating means including electrode means mounted on the skin of the patient adjacent said muscle compartment for controllable delivering a shock to the exterior skin in the vicinity of the muscle compartment being monitored; pick-up means contacting the exterior skin adjacent the muscle compartment of the patient for sensing the action potential developed when said stimulating means is delivering a shock; means within said housing and responsive to the output of said pick-up means for providing a second information signal indicative of the amplitude of the action potential of said muscle bundle; means within said housing and responsive to said second information signal for providing a third information signal indicative to the nerve conduction velocity through said muscle bundle; display means for displaying said information signals in eye-readable form; and means for selectively passing said information signals to said display means.