Vaginal pessary
First Claim
1. A vaginal pessary which is easier to insert and remove for cleaning, which has all parts in the vagina when inserted, and which does not give the wearer of the pessary significant discomfort during use, the volume of the pessary being reducible from its normal operational volume for relatively easy insertion and removal;
- said pessary comprising;
a hollow annular body for insertion into the vagina, the body having an exterior surface capable of contacting the walls of the vagina when having its normal operational volume so that relative movement of the hollow body with respect to the vagina is restricted;
elongated means for permitting inflation or deflation of the annular body, the elongated means including an elongated tube having first and second ends, the first end being connected to the hollow body in such a manner that a fluid can flow through the tube to or from the hollow body whereby the volume of the body may be changed, the tube being of such a length that, when fully extended, the second end of the tube will extend outwardly of the vagina when the annular body is properly inserted in the body; and
means for maintaining the elongated means within the vagina when the pessary has been properly inserted into the vagina, the means for maintaining the elongated means within the vagina including coil means for imparting a coiled shape to the elongated tube when it is released to cause the tube to retract within the vagina.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vaginal pessary (10 or 34) used to control urinary incontinence or a prolapse, which pessary has a hollow annular body (12 or 36) and an elongated fluid conveying flexible elongated tube (16) which may be stored between the upper and lower surfaces of the annular body when the pessary has been properly inserted into the vagina. The annular body is provided with a diaphragm (20) attached to the inner surface (12.2 or 36.2) of the body, the diaphragm having a central aperture (22). The tube (16) has a coiled shape by making the tube from an elastic material having a memory, by having the tube carry a spring wire (18) forming into a coiled shape, or both. In the illustrated embodiments, a one way valve (24) is provided in an end portion (16.2) of the tube. The valve may be opened by inserting a hypodermic needle carried by a syringe to either cause the body (16) to assume its normal operational volume or to have its volume reduced for insertion or removal. After the annular body has been inserted and it is has attained its normal operational volume, the tube is released and it returns to its coiled shape, retracting into the vagina. Digital manipulation may encourage the coiled tube to fully retract. When the pessary is to be removed, a finger, directed through loops of the coil, will pull out the tube with its valve which reaches well outside the vagina for easy attachment to a hypodermic needle. Fluid may now be withdrawn from the annular body, thereby permitting easy removal.
117 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A vaginal pessary which is easier to insert and remove for cleaning, which has all parts in the vagina when inserted, and which does not give the wearer of the pessary significant discomfort during use, the volume of the pessary being reducible from its normal operational volume for relatively easy insertion and removal;
- said pessary comprising;
a hollow annular body for insertion into the vagina, the body having an exterior surface capable of contacting the walls of the vagina when having its normal operational volume so that relative movement of the hollow body with respect to the vagina is restricted; elongated means for permitting inflation or deflation of the annular body, the elongated means including an elongated tube having first and second ends, the first end being connected to the hollow body in such a manner that a fluid can flow through the tube to or from the hollow body whereby the volume of the body may be changed, the tube being of such a length that, when fully extended, the second end of the tube will extend outwardly of the vagina when the annular body is properly inserted in the body; and means for maintaining the elongated means within the vagina when the pessary has been properly inserted into the vagina, the means for maintaining the elongated means within the vagina including coil means for imparting a coiled shape to the elongated tube when it is released to cause the tube to retract within the vagina. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
- said pessary comprising;
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5. A vaginal pessary which is easier to insert and remove for cleaning, which has all parts in the vagina when inserted, and which does not give the wearer of the pessary significant discomfort during use, the volume of the pessary being reducible from its normal operational volume for relatively easy insertion and removal;
- said pessary comprising;
a hollow annular body for insertion into the vagina, the body having an exterior surface capable of contacting the walls of the vagina when having its normal operational volume so that relative movement of the hollow body with respect to the vagina is restricted; elongated means for permitting inflation or deflation of the annular body, the elongated means including an elongated inflation tube having first and second ends, the first end being connected to the hollow body in such a manner that a fluid can flow through the tube to or from the hollow body whereby the volume of the body may be changed, the tube being of such a length that, when fully extended, the second end of the tube will extend outwardly of the vagina when the annular body is properly inserted in the body; and means for maintaining the elongated means within the vagina when the pessary has been properly inserted into the vagina, the means for maintaining the elongated means within the vagina including support means carried by the annular body, said support means is a diaphragm extending between the inner surface of the annular body, said diaphragm being provided with an aperture. - View Dependent Claims (6)
- said pessary comprising;
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7. A vaginal pessary which is easier to insert and remove for cleaning, which has all parts within the vagina when inserted, and which does not give the wearer of the pessary significant discomfort during use, the volume of the pessary being reducible from its normal operational volume for relatively easy insertion and removal;
- the pessary comprising;
a hollow annular body for insertion into vagina, the body having an exterior surface capable of contacting the walls of the vagina when having its normal operational volume so that relative movement of hollow body with respect to the vagina is restricted; elongated means for permitting inflation or deflation of the annular body, the elongated means including an elongated tube having first and second ends, the first end being connected to the hollow body in such a manner that a fluid can flow through the tube to or from the hollow body whereby the volume of the body may be changed, the tube being of such a length that, when fully extended, the second end of the tube will extend outwardly of the vagina when the annular body is properly inserted within the vagina; and means for maintaining the elongated means within the vagina when the pessary has been properly inserted, the means for maintaining the elongated means within the vagina including coil means for imparting a coiled shape to the elongated tube when it is released to cause the tube to retract within the vagina, and support means carried by the annular body for supporting the elongated means within the vagina when the pessary has been properly inserted into the vagina, the support means being a diaphragm which extends between interior surfaces of the annular body, the diaphragm being provided with an aperture through which the elongated means can pass. - View Dependent Claims (8)
- the pessary comprising;
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9. A stress incontinence pessary which is easier to insert and remove for cleaning, which has all parts maintained within the vagina when inserted, and which will not interfere with urination when inserted, and which does not give the wearer of the pessary significant discomfort, the volume of the pessary being reducible from its normal operational volume for relatively easy insertion and removal;
- said pessary including;
a hollow annular body for insertion into the vagina, the body having an exterior surface capable of contacting the walls of the vagina when having its normal operational volume so that relative movement of the hollow body with respect to the vagina is restricted, the body including two spaced apart projections, there being a U-shaped surface between the projections, the projection being capable of supporting the vaginal tissue on each side of the urethra when the annular body is inserted into the vagina in such a manner that the tissue between the projections is stretched and can offer counter pressure when intraabdominal pressure is suddenly raised as occurs during coughing, sneezing, laughing, and physical exercise such that the intra-abdominal pressure is transmitted to the upper urethra so that the greatest difference between the intra-urethral and simultaneous bladder pressure remains positive regardless of the changes in intra-abdominal pressure so continence is preserved; and fluid passageway means for permitting inflation or deflation of the annular body, the fluid passageway means including a flexible elongated tube, the flexible tube having a first end connected to the annular body and a second free end, the flexible tube being of such a length that when fully extended it will extend outwardly of the vagina when the annular body is properly inserted within the vagina; wherein the improvement comprises means for supporting the flexible tube within the vagina when the annular body is properly inserted within the vagina, the support means including coil means for imparting a coiled shape to the elongated tube when it is released to cause the tube to retract within the vagina, and a diaphragm which extends between interior surfaces of the annular body, the diaphragm being provided with an aperture through which the tube means may pass.
- said pessary including;
Specification