Systems and methods for patient-enabled bladder control
AssigneeInCube Labs, LLC
InventorMir Imran
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for controlling urination in a patient includes an implantable controller and an external device. The implantable controller includes circuitry and electrodes for stimulating the pudenal nerves in order to control urination. In addition, the implantable controller includes sensors for determining information on bladder fullness and for transmitting such information to an external device which is used for controlling the implanted controller. The external device will display when bladder filling exceeds a safe threshold level, allowing the patient and a caregiver to take appropriate steps to allow the patient to urinate.
Claims52
A system for controlling urination in a patient unable to voluntarily control urination, said system comprising:
- at least two implantable electrodes configured to deliver current to the patient's pudenal nerve(s) in the form of an electrical waveform;
- an implantable sensor configured to sense information corresponding to a degree of filling of the patient's bladder;
- an implantable controller configured to concurrently deliver at least a first and second electrical waveform to said at least two electrodes, the at least first and second electrical waveforms configured to stimulate and block the patient's pudendal nerve, respectively, to cause at least a first and second physiological action involved in voiding of the bladder;
- an external device configured to receive information from the implantable sensor corresponding to a degree of bladder filling, display a value corresponding to the degree of filling, and to send a signal to the implantable controller to initiate voiding of the bladder,
- wherein the first electrical waveform comprises a low frequency electrical waveform and the second electrical waveform comprises a high frequency electrical waveform,
- wherein the first physiological action comprises a contraction of the patient's bladder and the second physiological action comprises an opening of the patient's urinary sphincter to allow urination, and
- wherein the controller is configured to concurrently deliver the at least first and second electrical waveforms.
The system of 1, wherein the controller is further configured to selectively deliver a very low frequency electrical waveform to relax the patient's bladder.
A method for controlling urination in a patient unable to voluntarily control urination, said method comprising:
- providing a control system having an ability to sense information on bladder fullness and signal that information to an external device configured to provide the patient an indication of bladder fullness, the system further configured to enable the patient or caregiver to selectively stimulate the patient's pudendal nerve to initiate voiding of the bladder;
- determining information of bladder fullness and signaling the information to an external device configured to wirelessly communicate with the implanted controller;
- and
- utilizing the information of bladder fullness to deliver at least one electrical waveform to the pudendal nerve to selectively stimulate and/or block the pudendal nerve to initiate voiding of the patient's bladder and urination by causing physiological actions involved in the urination process,
- wherein a first electrical waveform is delivered to the pudendal nerve to stimulate the nerve so as to cause contraction of the bladder,
- wherein a second electrical waveform is delivered to the pudendal nerve to block the nerve so as to cause opening of the patient's urinary sphincter, and
- wherein the first and second electrical waveforms are concurrently delivered.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.