Harmless wireless energy transmission to implant

An apparatus for treating urinary overflow incontinence, comprising

• an electrically powered stimulation device implantable in a urinary overflow incontinent patient and adapted to electrically stimulate the urine bladder contraction muscle to contract the bladder, and
• a control device that controls said stimulation device, said control device including a hand-held wireless remote control adapted to control said stimulation device from outside the patient's body,
• wherein said wireless remote control is operable by the patient to:
• i) switch on said electrically powered stimulation device to cause the urine bladder contraction muscle to contract the bladder, when the patient wants to urinate, and switch off said electrically powered stimulation device, when the patient has finished urinating;
• and
• ii) control said stimulation device to adjust the intensity of the electric stimulation of the urine bladder contraction muscle to empty the bladder in a manner that is comfortable to the patient.

A method for treating a patient suffering from urinary incontinence, comprising the steps of:

• implanting in the patient an electrically powered stimulation device in direct engagement with the urethral sphincter,
• electrically stimulating the urethral sphincter by the stimulation device to increase the tonus thereof,
• providing a hand-held wireless remote control adapted to control the stimulation device from outside the patient's body, and
• operating the wireless remote control by the patient holding it to:
• i) switch off the electrically powered stimulation device, when the patient wants to urinate;
• ii) switch on the electrically powered stimulation device, when the patient has finished urinating;
• and
• iii) control the stimulation device when various needs arise over the course of a day to promptly adjust the intensity of the electric stimulation of the urethral sphincter so that the tonus of the urethral sphincter is quickly increased.

A method for treating a patient suffering from urinary overflow incontinence, comprising the steps of:

• implanting in the patient an electrically powered stimulation device in direct engagement with the urine bladder contraction muscle,
• providing a hand-held wireless remote control adapted to control the stimulation device from outside the patient's body, and
• operating the wireless remote control by the patient holding it to:
• i) switch on the electrically powered stimulation device to electrically stimulate the urine bladder contraction muscle to contract the bladder, when the patient wants to urinate, and switch off the electrically powered stimulation device, when the patient has finished urinating;
• and
• ii) control the stimulation device when the patient is urinating to adjust the intensity of the electric stimulation of the urine bladder contraction muscle so that the bladder is emptied in a manner that is comfortable to the patient.