Method and apparatus for treating incontinence
AssigneeThe University of Melbourne
InventorsJohn B Furness, Robert W Barnett, Helen E O'Connell, George D Hirst
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Abstract
An improved method, system and arrangement for treatment of urinary incontinence is disclosed, in which a portion of innervated smooth muscle (2) is transplanted and disposed around the urethra to provide a urethral sphincter (2). Electrical stimulation, by an implanted stimulator (1), maintains continuous tone in the sphincter. A remote controller (7) permits the sphincter (2) to be allowed to relax, and hence permit urine to flow out of the bladder.
Claims178
An implantable sphincter stimulator configured for operatively providing electrical stimulation to a surgically implanted innervated smooth muscle sphincter disposed about a urethra so as to control the flow of urine therethrough, the stimulator including:
- a stimulus generating unit in electrical communication with a receiver, the stimulus generating unit operatively configured to provide a first predetermined electrical stimulation signal adapted to contract said sphincter, and a second predetermined signal adapted to allow said sphincter to relax, one of said predetermined signals being selected in response to a control signal received at the receiver from a remote controller.
A system for use in treating urinary incontinence in a person, the system including:
- a portion of innervated smooth muscle tissue configured to define a sphincter and implanted substantially circumferentially about the urethra of the person;
- an implanted sphincter stimulator arranged so as to allow electrical stimuli to be applied to the sphincter;
- and
- a non-implanted controller in communication with the sphincter stimulator for selectively triggering the generation of predetermined electrical stimulation signals to respectively contract the sphincter or allow the sphincter to relax.
A method of using an implantable sphincter stimulator for treating urinary incontinence, the method including the steps of disposing a smooth muscle sphincter about a urethra, providing an implanted stimulator unit connected to electrodes, arranging the electrodes so that the electrodes are adapted to stimulate the neural structures of said sphincter, and providing a predetermined stimulation signal at the sphincter stimulator output to either contract the sphincter or allow it to relax in response to a control signal provided from an externally disposed controller.
A method of treating urinary incontinence including the steps of:
- disposing an implanted innervated smooth muscle sphincter around a urethra;
- locating a plurality of electrodes in predetermined locations in the sphincter in electrically connecting the electrodes with an implanted sphincter stimulator;
- and
- selectively actuating the sphincter stimulator to provide a predetermined stimulation signal to either contract the urethra or allow it to relax in response to a remotely generated control signal.
A method of surgically implanting a sphincter stimulator system for treating urinary incontinence including the steps of:
- implanting a smooth muscle sphincter about the urethra in a person;
- implanting a stimulator proximal to the sphincter;
- and
- implanting a plurality of electrodes into the sphincter at predetermined locations and electrically connecting the stimulator therewith.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.