Penile prosthesis and method
AssigneeMedical Engineering Corporation
InventorRobert E. Trick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The penile prosthesis includes proximal and distal end portions with an intermediate, normally flexible main body portion. The main body portion includes an array of segments that, although individually pivotable with respect to each other, can be rendered into a rigid unit by engagement with interfering members. The interfering members prevent flexion of the prosthesis to enable the prosthesis to support the penis in a erectile condition. The prosthesis is manually manipulable to establish the penis in an erectile condition or a flaccid condition as desired.
Claims20
A penile prosthesis comprising,
- (a) a proximal end portion and a distal end portion,
- (b) a flexible main body portion intermediate said proximal and distal end portions, said main body portion having a predetermined plurality of segments arranged side-by-side to permit relative movement with respect to each other in a predetermined direction,
- (c) stiffening means engageable with said main body portion, for rendering said main body portion substantially inflexible, said segments each having at least a first predetermined longitudinal magnitude along a longitudinal axis of said prosthesis, said stiffening means including a predetermined plurality of interference members having not greater than a second predetermined longitudinal magnitude along said longitudinal axis, said second predetermined longitudinal magnitude being less than said first predetermined longitudinal magnitude,
- (d) said stiffening means being disposable in a first position relative to said main body portion to permit said main body portion to remain flexible such that said main body portion can bend and assume a contour that corresponds to the contour of a flaccid penis,
- (e) said stiffening means being disposable in a second position of predetermined engagement with said main body portion to prevent said main body portion from bending and to maintain said main body portion in a substantially straight configuration, to support a penis in a substantially erectile position.
A method of selectively establishing a flaccid or erectile condition in a penile prosthesis comprising,
- (a) providing individual segments intermediate a proximal and distal end of the prosthesis, the segments being arranged side by side to articulate and bend as a unit to enable the prosthesis to assume a contour that corresponds to the flaccid condition of a penis,
- (b) interfering with the bending freedom of the segments by engaging each pair of adjacent segments and one of the proximal and distal end portions with a rigid member that prevents bending of the segments and locks the array of segments in an unbent, substantially straight configuration to support a penis in a substantially erectile position,
- (c) detenting the rigid members in the interfering position when the erectile condition is desired,
- (d) moving the rigid members uniformly from the interfering position to a non-interfering position when a flaccid penile condition is desired, and
- (e) detenting the rigid members in the non-interfering position when the flaccid penile condition is desired.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.