US 4,551,862 A · Prosthetic sphincter

Abstract

A prosthetic sphincter is designed to surround a waste elimination passage in a patient, such as the lower colon or urethra for realizing continence. The artificial sphincter itself comprises a stationary ring and a rotatable ring supported for rotation by the stationary ring. Three occlusion elements extend from 120.degree. circumferentially spaced points on the rotatable ring to similarly oriented points on the stationary ring, offset from the first dimensioned points by a given number of degrees. The length of the various elements is such that when the rotatable ring is in a first position, the elements follow the inner peripheral curvature of the rings to maximize the opening through the rings and thus through the elimination passage circumscribed by said rings. When the rotatable ring is rotated to a second position, the displacement of the second ends of the elements from the first ends is increased, to cause all three elements to enter the opening and thereby occlude the elimination passage contained therein by applying pressure at 120.degree. circumferentially spaced areas, or at the appropriate angular degree division(s) with respect to the selected number of occlusion elements to achieve a state of prosthetic continence.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A prosthetic sphincter suitable for implantantion for embracing an elimination passage of a patient to control the movement of material therethrough for realizing continence, said sphincter including, in combination:

(a) a stationary ring;
(b) a rotatable ring axially aligned with said stationary ring to define a ring assembly having an occlusion opening through the rings for surrounding the patient's elimination passage;
(c) occlusion spring means interconnecting said stationary ring and said rotatable ring such that rotation of said rotatable ring relative to said stationary ring from a first position causes said occlusion spring means to enter said occlusion opening to cause a closing of the occlusion opening around the elimination passage and a corresponding application of occlusive pressures to the elimination passage being surrounded by the rings to maintain the passage in an occluded condition until the rotatable ring is rotated back to its first position relative to the stationary ring;
and
(d) a tear resistant skin for enclosing said ring assembly and occlusion spring means, said skin having fatigue relief folds on top and bottom surfaces thereof arranged coaxially with the occlusion opening through said rings for accommodating the closing of the occlusion opening when the rotatable ring is moved from its first position, said skin having a pliable filling material located within the enclosure formed thereby for encapsulating said ring assembly and said occlusion spring means.

2 more elements

An artificial sphincter comprising a prosthetic device suitable for implantation to embrace a patient's lumen for occluding and opening the lumen and controlling the movement of material therethrough, said sphincter comprising:

ring assembly means defining an occlusion orifice for surrounding the patient's lumen, said ring assembly means having a stationary ring and a rotatable ring axially aligned with and supported for rotation by said stationary ring;
a plurality of flexible occlusion elements extending between first circumferentially spaced locations at said rotatable ring and respective second circumferentially spaced locations at said stationary ring, such that when said rotatable ring is in a first position, said occlusion elements follow the inner periphery of said ring assembly means to maximize the size of the occlusion orifice as defined by said ring assembly means, and when said rotatable ring is rotated to a second position, said occlusion elements being extended and thereby caused to enter the occlusion orifice to overlap one another in an interwoven relationship and thereby cause both a closing of the occlusion orifice around the lumen and a corresponding application of occlusive pressures to the lumen being surrounded by said ring assembly means until said occlusion elements return to the first position, said occlusion elements having a spring-like characteristic for biasing said rotatable ring towards its first position;
and
force applying means interfaced with said rotatable ring to selectively rotate said rotatable ring to a particular second position whereby to adjustably vary the corresponding application of occlusive pressures to the patient's lumen;
said force applying means including cable means and switch means, said cable means surrounding and being rotatable around an outer peripheral portion of said rotatable ring for rotating said ring between the first and second positions, and said switch means being implanted at a location remote from said ring assembly means at a surgically accessible subcutaneous area of the patient's body proximal to an epidermal portion, such that said switch means can be manually operated at the epidermal portion to cause the rotation of said cable means and a corresponding rotation of said rotatable ring to the second position to thereby close said occlusion orifice and apply the occlusive pressures to the lumen being surrounded by said ring assembly means.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Prosthetic sphincter

Life of this patent

Prosthetic sphincter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17