Endourethral device & method

• US 20030078467A1
• Filed: 10/18/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SRS Medical Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: AbbeyMoor Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Willard, Lloyd K., Reid, John M., Whalen, Mark J., Baumgartner, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 6,991,596 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0175 having telescopic features, interengaging nestable members movable in relations to one another
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0017 specially adapted for long-term hygiene care, e.g. urethral or indwelling catheters to prevent infections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0074 Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/02 Holding devices, e.g. on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00

Abstract

An endourethral device including proximal and distal anchor assemblies selectively spaced apart by a device body is provided. The proximal anchor assembly is adapted to abuttingly engage at least portions of a bladder neck so as to at least proximally anchor said device, the distal anchor assembly being adapted to engage at least portions of a bulbous urethra so as to at least distally anchor said device. The body extends between the proximal and distal anchors assemblies, the device being adapted such that the anchors are selectively spaced apart for fixed positioning within a lower urinary tract in furtherance of a portion of the body at least partially traversing a prostatic urethra.

Claims

1. An endourethral device comprising:

a. a proximal anchor structure adapted to abuttingly engage at least portions of a bladder neck so as to at least proximally anchor said device;

b. a distal anchor structure adapted to engage at least portions of a bulbous urethra so as to at least distally anchor said device; and

,

c. a body extending between said proximal and said distal anchors, said device being adapted such that said anchors are selectively spaced apart for fixed positioning within a lower urinary tract in furtherance of a portion of said body at least partially traversing a prostatic urethra.

2. The endourethral device of claim 1 wherein said body is longitudinally compactable.

3. The endourethral device of claim 1 wherein said body is variably dimensionable.

4. The endourethral device of claim 3 wherein said body comprises a proximal portion and a distal portion, at least a segment of one of said portions being receivable within the other of said portions.

5. The endourethral device of claim 4 wherein said proximal and said distal body portions are selectively securable to each other.

6. The endourethral device of claim 5 further comprising means for reversibly securing said proximal and said distal body portions.

7. The endourethral device of claim 5 wherein one of said body portions is slidably received within a portion of the other of said body portions

8. The endourethral device of claim 5 wherein one of said body portions includes a single aperture pair registerable with spaced apart aperture pairs of the other of said body portions.

9. The endourethral device of claim 7 wherein one of said body portions includes a spring latch, the other of said body portions including spaced apart spring latch receiving structures.

10. The endourethral device of claim 6 wherein one of said body portions is threadingly received upon a portion of the other of said body portions.

11. The endourethral device of claim 10 wherein one of said body portions includes a single aperture pair registerable with spaced apart aperture pairs of the other of said body portions.

12. The endourethral device of claim 3 wherein said body is longitudinally compressible.

13. The endourethral device of claim 12 wherein said body is adapted to be secured in a compressed condition.

14. The endourethral device of claim 13 wherein said device further includes means for retaining said body in a secured compressed condition.

15. The endourethral device of claim 13 wherein said device further includes a spring clip, said spring clip retaining said body in a compressed condition.

16. The endourethral device of claim 15 wherein said body includes a coil spring, said spring clip retaining a plurality of select coils of said coil spring between opposing ends thereof.

17. The endourethral device of claim 1 wherein said anchors are reversibly interlocking from said body to accommodate receipt of an alternately dimensioned body.

18. The endourethral device of claim 1 wherein said body is reversibly detachable from said anchors, variably dimensioned bodies being readily substituted therefore.

19. An endourethral device comprising a proximal stabilization structure and a body extending therefrom, said proximal stabilization structure adapted to abuttingly engage at least portions of a bladder neck, said body having proximal and distal segments, said distal segment of said body being selectively, reversibly and distally extendible relative to said proximal segment of said body such that said body at least partially traverses a prostatic urethra.

20. In a method of selectively maintaining the patency of a lower urinary tract passage, the steps comprising:

a. providing an endourethral device having a variably dimensionable portion; and

,

b. selectively dimensioning said variably dimensionable portion for stabilized deployed receipt within at least a portion of the prostatic urethra.