Device for maintaining urinary continence
AssigneeGalt Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsWilliam Pintauro, Rodney Brenneman, Mario Maciel, Sheila K. Wallin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A prosthetic device for controlling urinary continence is disclosed. The device has an opening pressure that varies in response to changes in physiologic parameters. The device can be controlled by the patient voluntarily without manual intervention. A nonsurgical method of maintaining urinary continence is also disclosed.
Claims24
A prosthetic urethral valve assembly comprising:
- a tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central lumen extending therethrough;
- a first anchor attached to the proximal end of the tubular body, said first anchor conforming to a portion of a base of a bladder to resist migration of the prosthetic urethral valve relative to the bladder and a urethra;
- a second anchor attached to the tubular body, said second anchor lying within the urethra so that the prosthetic urethral valve remains anchored therein;
- and
- a valve located within the lumen of the tubular body between the proximal end and the distal end of the tubular body;
- wherein the distal end of the tubular body lies in the midurethra so that the opening pressure of the valve varies in response to internal forces affecting at least one of the urethra and bladder neck.
A method of maintaining urinary continence in a patient comprising:
- providing a prosthetic urethral valve assembly having a valve located within a lumen of a tubular body, the tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end;
- and
- positioning said prosthetic urethral valve assembly in the patient so that both the valve and the distal end of the tubular body lie in the midurethra so that the opening pressure of the valve varies in response to internal forces affecting at least one of the urethra and bladder neck.
A method of varying the opening pressure of a prosthetic urethal vale in response to change in abdominal pressure, comprising the steps of:
- providing a prosthetic urethral valve having a proximal end, a distal end and a valved flow path therebetween;
- positioning the valve in a patient within the flow path between the bladder and the outside of the patient, such that the distal end of the valve is positioned within the urethra between the internal sphincter and the external sphincter;
- exposing the distal side of the valve to elevations in intraabdominal pressure;
- and
- increasing the opening pressure of the valve in response to elevations in intraabdominal pressure.
A method of maintaining urinary continence in a patient comprising:
- providing a prosthetic urethral valve assembly having a valve located within a lumen of a tubular body, the tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end;
- and
- positioning said prosthetic urethral valve assembly in the patient so that both the valve and the distal end of the tubular body lie in the midurethra, in between an internal urethral sphincter and an external urethral sphincter, so that the opening pressure of the valve varies in response to internal forces affecting at least one of the urethra and bladder neck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.