Elastomeric prosthetic sphincter
First Claim
1. A sphincter comprising a prosthetic device suitable for implantation so as to embrace a patient'"'"'s lumen for occluding and opening the lumen and controlling the movement of material therethrough, said sphincter further comprising:
- articulating structure means including an occlusion orifice for surrounding the lumen, at least some of said articulating structure means having a chamber adapted to receive therewithin a pressure transmitting medium for causing said occlusion orifice to close the lumen and inhibit material movement therethrough,reservoir means having a supply of pressure transmitting medium therein,channel means extending between said reservoir means and the chamber of said articulating structure means to permit the pressure transmitting medium to flow therebetween, andnormally closed valve means located in said channel means for controlling the passage of pressure transmitting medium between said reservoir means and said articulating structure means, said valve means including at least two arcuate flow control appendages, each of said appendages terminating at an upwardly projecting portion extending within said channel means in a forward direction towards said articulating structure means, said arcuate appendages engaging one another and thereby forming a concave closure across said channel means to prevent the passage of pressure transmitting medium through said valve means in a backward direction towards said reservoir means, and an extensible force transmitting body located between said reservoir means and the interface of said arcuate appendages to receive therein pressure transmitting medium from said reservoir means and thereby cause a separation of said flow control appendages to permit the passage of pressure transmitting medium to said chamber in the forward direction through said valve means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An elastomechanical sphincter comprising a prosthetic device for implantation about a patient'"'"'s lumen such as the urethra for occluding or relaxing the lumen for the treatment of incontinence. The prosthetic sphincter includes a body of elastomeric polymer material configured to define an articulating structure having a normally closed elongated occlusion orifice arranged to embrace the patient'"'"'s urethra with minimal ischemic interruption of circulatory blood flow. In a first sphincter embodiment, an integrally formed manually manipulable pressure relief cuff extends from a peripheral portion of the articulating structure in such a manner that physical pulling on the pressure relief cuff in a direction transverse to the elongation of the occlusion orifice will open the orifice and thereby open the lumen. The natural elasticity of the device results in occlusion of the lumen upon releasing of the pressure relief cuff. In a second sphincter embodiment, the articulating structure includes a hollow chamber formed therein which is adapted to receive a fluid under pressure from an associated fluid reservoir. As the chamber is filled, the articulating structure expands, such that the occlusion orifice thereof applies a corresponding pressure to occlude the patient'"'"'s lumen. A pressure relief disk is provided which may be manually operated to permit fluid to be transferred from the chamber to thereby reduce the occlusive pressures being applied by the occlusion orifice, whereby to permit an opening of the patient'"'"'s lumen thus maximizing the movement of material (e.g. blood) therethrough.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A sphincter comprising a prosthetic device suitable for implantation so as to embrace a patient'"'"'s lumen for occluding and opening the lumen and controlling the movement of material therethrough, said sphincter further comprising:
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articulating structure means including an occlusion orifice for surrounding the lumen, at least some of said articulating structure means having a chamber adapted to receive therewithin a pressure transmitting medium for causing said occlusion orifice to close the lumen and inhibit material movement therethrough, reservoir means having a supply of pressure transmitting medium therein, channel means extending between said reservoir means and the chamber of said articulating structure means to permit the pressure transmitting medium to flow therebetween, and normally closed valve means located in said channel means for controlling the passage of pressure transmitting medium between said reservoir means and said articulating structure means, said valve means including at least two arcuate flow control appendages, each of said appendages terminating at an upwardly projecting portion extending within said channel means in a forward direction towards said articulating structure means, said arcuate appendages engaging one another and thereby forming a concave closure across said channel means to prevent the passage of pressure transmitting medium through said valve means in a backward direction towards said reservoir means, and an extensible force transmitting body located between said reservoir means and the interface of said arcuate appendages to receive therein pressure transmitting medium from said reservoir means and thereby cause a separation of said flow control appendages to permit the passage of pressure transmitting medium to said chamber in the forward direction through said valve means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A sphincter comprising a prosthetic device suitable for implantation so as to embrace a patient'"'"'s lumen for occluding and opening the lumen and controlling the movement of material therethrough, said sphincter further comprising:
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occlusion orifice means for surrounding the lumen, at least some of said occlusion orifice means having an extensible chamber to receive therewithin a fluid medium for causing said occlusion orifice to close the lumen and inhibit material movement therethrough, reservoir means having a supply of fluid medium therein, channel means extending between said reservoir means and the chamber of said occlusion orifice means to permit the pressure transmitting medium to flow therebetween, valve means located in said channel means for controlling the passage of fluid medium between said reservoir means and the chamber of said occlusion orifice means, said valve means including a flow control ball and a valve seat particularly shaped to removably receive said ball to close said valve means between said reservoir means and said chamber and manually operable pressure relief means by which to unseat said flow control ball and thereby open said valve means in order to permit the removal of fluid medium from the chamber of said occlusion orifice means to permit movement of material through the lumen being surrounded thereby, said pressure relief means communicating with said valve seat to temporarily change the shape thereof and thereby unseat said flow control ball so as to open said valve means and permit the passage of fluid medium therethrough, and an insert having a path extending therethrough to permit the passage of fluid medium between said reservoir means and said occlusion orifice means, said insert including a tubular first end to be received in said channel means and a conical second end extending outwardly of said channel means and communicating with said valve means to limit the movement of said flow control ball off of its valve seat. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification