System and method for measuring the pressure of a fluid system within a patient

1. A pressure sensing apparatus comprising:

a pressure sensor component having a pressure sensing port, a pressure sensor for sensing a pressure of a fluid in the pressure sensing port, and a digital processor communicating with the pressure sensor for performing calculations involving fluid pressures sensed;

a first chamber in fluid contact with the pressure sensing port;

a second chamber fluidically connectable with a patient's cerebrospinal fluid system; and

a membrane located between the first and second chambers so as to transmit fluid pressure from the second chamber to the first chamber;

wherein the first chamber is filled with a fluid that transmits a pressure from the cerebrospinal fluid system to the pressure sensing port for measurement of the cerebrospinal fluid pressure; and

wherein the pressure sensor component is an integral, hand-held component configured to calculate at least one selected from the group consisting of resting pressure, outflow resistance, and pressure volume index based on the cerebrospinal fluid pressure.

2. The pressure sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor component includes a display.

3. The pressure sensing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the pressure sensor component is configured to display a graph of fluid pressures sensed over time.

4. The pressure sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor component is configured to calculate a resting pressure based on fluid pressures measured.

5. The pressure sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor component is configured to calculate an outflow resistance based on fluid pressures measured.

6. The pressure sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor component is configured to calculate a pressure volume index based on fluid pressures measured.

7. The pressure sensing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a tube in fluid communication with the second chamber and connectable with a fluid system of a patient.

8. The pressure sensing apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the tube is configured to be connected to a patient's cerebrospinal fluid system.

9. The pressure sensing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the tube is configured to be connected to a patient's cerebrospinal fluid system through a lumbar tap.

10. The pressure sensing apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a three way stopcock located between a patient connecting end of the tube and the second chamber, the three way stopcock including a port through which a fluid may inserted.

11. The pressure sensing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a syringe is fluidically connected to the three way stopcock port.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the pressure sensor component is configured to calculate a resting pressure based on fluid pressures measured.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the pressure sensor component is configured to calculate an outflow resistance based on fluid pressures measured.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the pressure sensor component is configured to calculate a pressure volume index based on fluid pressures measured.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the pressure sensor component is configured to calculate at least one selected from the group consisting of resting pressure, outflow resistance, and pressure volume index in multiple iterations with selective calculation of mean results.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a liquid.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the liquid is selected from the group consisting of water, oil, and alcohol.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the liquid is water.