US 4,802,479 A · Hand-held instrument for implanting, dispensing, and inflating an inflatable membrane

Abstract

A compact, hand-held instrument by which to permit a physician to accurately and controllably implant, dispense, and inflate an inflatable membrane at a predetermined target area within the tissues of a patient. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the inflatable membrane is a genitourinary prosthesis, and the targeted area lies within the corpus spongiousum surrounding the urethra to enable a patient to overcome urinary incontinence by means of increasing both localized tissue volume and passive occlusive pressure upon the urethral mucosa. The instrument includes a trocar assembly having a plurality of telescoping trocar members which may be either retracted for dilating a tunnel through the urethral tissues of the patient or expanded for placing, dispensing and inflating the membrane at the end of the tunnel. The membrane is percutaneously infused with and inflated by material (e.g. biocompatible fluid) supplied from a vernier hypodermic syringe to a hollow, non-coring needle, which needle carries the membrane and communicates with the syringe.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An instrument for implanting an inflatable genitourinary prosthesis within the urethral tissues of a patient to increase local tissue density and the application of occlusive pressure at the periurethral tissues of the corpus spongiousum for treating urinary incontinence, said instrument including an inflatable genitourinary prosthesis, means for inflating said prosthesis with material, and trocar assembly means comprising:

an infusion tube extending between said inflating means and said prosthesis to deliver material for inflating said prosthesis;
a pair of normally open tunneling members for dilating a tunnel through the urethral tissues, said tunneling members movable to either a closed position to surround and protect an uninflated prosthesis and thereby form a tissue dilating nose or to an open position to permit said prosthesis to be inflated and positioned within the urethral tissues;
and
an outer trocar sleeve movable to a first position to surround and engage said tunneling members to retain said members in the closed position to form said dilating nose or to a second position retracted from said tunneling members to release said members for movement to the open position to permit inflation of said prosthesis.

1 more element

An instrument for implanting, dispensing and inflating an inflatable membrane within subcutaneous tissue of a patient, said instrument comprising:

carrying means to which said membrane is removably attached;
a source of material communicating with said membrane to inflate said membrane after said membrane is implanted within the patient's tissue;
dilating means for cutting a tunnel through the patient's tissue, said dilating means disposed in either a closed condition to surround and protect an uninflated membrane whereby to form a dilating nose for penetrating the patient's tissue or an open condition whereby to permit said membrane to be dispensed and inflated;
and
an outer sleeve surrounding said dilating means and slidable axially thereon, said outer sleeve moveable to either an axially extended position at which to close said dilating means around said membrane to form said dilating nose or to an axially retracted position at which to release said dilating means to the open condition for dispensing said membrane.

2 more elements

A hand-held instrument comprising a plurality of telescoping tubular members by which to implant, dispense and inflate an inflatable membrane within the subcutaneous tissues of a patient, said instrument comprising:

an elastic, inflatable membrane;
a source of material communicating with said membrane to inflate said membrane after said membrane has been implanted within the patient's tissue,
dilating means for cutting a tunnel through the patient's tissue, said dilating means disposed in either a closed condition to surround and protect an uninflated membrane, whereby to form a dilating nose for penetrating the patient's tissue or an open condition, whereby to permit said membrane to be dispensed and inflated;
an outer sleeve surrounding said dilating means and slidable axially thereover, said outer sleeve movable to either an axially extended position at which to close said dilating means around said membrane to form said dilating nose or to an axially retracted position at which to release said dilating means to the open condition for dispensing said membrane;
an inner tube coaxially aligned with and slidable axially through said outer sleeve;
and
an infusion tube coaxially aligned with and slidable axially through said inner tube and extending between said source of material and said membrane for supplying material from said source to inflate said membrane.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hand-held instrument for implanting, dispensing, and inflating an inflatable membrane

Life of this patent

Hand-held instrument for implanting, dispensing, and inflating an inflatable membrane

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20