MANAGEMENT OF URINARY INCONTINENCE IN FEMALES

• US 20100217068A1
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Shabat, Roni, Sinai, Nir, Hirschowitz, Eran, Bauder, Idan, Perle, Amir, Ziv, Elan
• Granted Patent: US 9,339,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0009 placed in or outside the body opening close to the surface of the body plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ A61B17/0057
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/005 with pressure applied to urethra by an element placed in the vagina

Abstract

An apparatus for treating urinary incontinence, comprising: (a) a support section adapted for providing urethral support; (b) an anchoring section adapted for resisting movement of the apparatus; (c) a normally open expansion mechanism adapted to urge the support radially outwards; and (d) a conversion mechanism adapted to sharply and selectively reduce an outward urging of said support.

Claims

1. An apparatus for treating urinary incontinence, comprising:

(a) a support section adapted for providing at least one of urethral support and pressure against a portion of the urethra;

(b) an anchoring section adapted for resisting movement of said apparatus;

(c) a normally open expansion mechanism adapted to urge said support section radially outwards; and

(d) a conversion mechanism adapted to provide a mechanical gain such that an axial force used to activate the conversion mechanism is substantially smaller than the reduction in radial force exerted by said support section.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said support section comprises a plurality of support arms.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said support section is configured to provide urethra support.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the expansion mechanism is adapted to urge without a force applied from outside the apparatus.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the conversion mechanism is adapted to respond to a deforming force by axially extending, thereby causing radial collapse of the support arms.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the expansion mechanism is adapted to revert to the normally open state upon removal of the force.

7. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said distal ends of said support arms apply sufficient force to vaginal walls to ameliorate incontinence.

8. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said conversion mechanism is adapted to urge said support arms radially inwards in response to a force applied from outside the apparatus.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the conversion mechanism comprises a string attached to a hub of the expansion mechanism.

10. An apparatus according to claim 3, comprising:

a loading element connected to the expansion mechanism and adapted to urge at least a portion of the expansion mechanism axially towards said anchoring section.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the loading element comprises an elastic string adapted for attachment to a hub section of the expansion mechanism.

12. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said support arms are hinged.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said support arms each comprise at least two hinges.

14. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said support arms are flexible.

15. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein urethral support is mid-urethral support.

16. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said expansion mechanism and said support section are integrally attached to one another.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said integral attachment to one another comprises integral hinges.

20. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said apparatus is flexible.

23. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein urethral support includes bladder neck support.

24. An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a cover.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, comprising a cover collapse mechanism.

26. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is rotationally symmetric.

27. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is configured to operate independently of a rotational insertion angle.

28. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is configured to allow passage of vaginal discharges therethrough when inserted.

30. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein substantially smaller is less than 70% of the reduction in radial force exerted by the support section.

31. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein substantially smaller is less than 50% of the reduction in radial force exerted by the support section.

32. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein substantially smaller is less than 40% of the reduction in radial force exerted by the support section.

33. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein substantially smaller is less than 30% of the reduction in radial force exerted by the support section.

34. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein substantially smaller is less than 20% of the reduction in radial force exerted by the support section.

18-19. -19. (canceled)

21-22. -22. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

35. A method for ameliorating urinary incontinence, the method comprising:

(a) intra-vaginally inserting an apparatus which provides at least one of support of pressure to a urethra, by a support section thereof;

(b) collapsing said support section after said insertion by application of force generally along an axis of said vagina;

(c) repositioning said apparatus by said axial force; and

(d) reducing said force to allow said support section to uncollapse and re-function as a support section.

40. A method according to claim 35, comprising removing said apparatus using said force after (c).

41. A method according to claim 35, wherein inserting comprises inserting in a manner substantially oblivious to a rotational orientation of said apparatus.

36-39. -39. (canceled)

42-43. -43. (canceled)

44. An apparatus for treating urinary incontinence, comprising:

(a) an anchor section comprising a plurality of anchor legs and an anchor connector; and

(b) a support section comprising a plurality of support arms and a support connector;

wherein the anchor connector and support connector are adapted for connection one to another.

45. An apparatus according to claim 44, wherein connection of the anchor connector and support connector one to another fixes an axial alignment of the anchor legs and support arms.

46. An apparatus according to claim 44, wherein connection of the anchor connector and support connector one establishes a rotating joint between the anchor section and the support section.