Urinary flow control device and method

A urinary flow control device comprising:

• a. an elongate member having proximal and distal ends, and a lumen capable of discharging urine therethrough;
• and,
• b. a flow control assembly comprising first and second fluid containing compartments joined by primary and secondary fluid passages, said flow control assembly operatively joined to said elongate member and adapted to receive and contain urine from a bladder so as to impinge upon said first fluid containing compartment, said flow control assembly being responsive to increased bladder pressure such that fluid is displaced from said first fluid containing compartment to said second fluid containing compartment via said primary fluid passage to thereby permit select passage of received urine to said lumen for discharge therethrough, said a secondary fluid passage permitting fluid communication between said first fluid containing compartment with said second fluid containing compartment so as to provide automatic pressure relief to the bladder by displacement of fluid from said first fluid containing compartment to said second fluid containing compartment.

In a urethral catheter adapted to receive urine from a bladder, a flow control device for regulating egress of urine from the bladder, said device subject to bladder pressure and comprising a sealed fluid element having a first fluid region, a second fluid region, and a hydraulic linkage therebetween, said sealed fluid element being hydraulically responsive to a range of preselected bladder pressure such that fluid within said sealed fluid element shuttles from one of said fluid regions to another of said fluid regions, thereby permitting selective urine discharge via the urethral catheter.

The device of claim 21 wherein a portion of one of said fluid regions traverses a lumen of the urethral catheter, thereby blocking discharge of urine via the urethral catheter.