Dilation device for the urethra
First Claim
1. A dilation device for opening a portion of an obstructed urethra, which comprises,an inner hollow tubular core defining a lumen therewithin, said lumen being a conduit of sufficient diameter to permit urine to flow freely therethrough from the bladder, said core being substantially non-collapsible and containing access means enabling body fluids to pass through said core in a radially outwardly direction;
- an outer confining covering capable of expanding radially outwardly to a predetermined extent, said covering having a length, disposed on said core, of at least partially that of the obstructed portion of the urethra; and
hydrophilic material defined between said outer covering and said core capable of absorbing water and thereupon gradually swelling for a period of at least about 30 minutes, thereby to cause the outer covering to gradually expand radially outwardly until dilation of the obstructed portion of the urethra occurs to a desired diameter and configuration.
16 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for dilating at least an obstructed portion of a urethra includes a hollow core member with opposed open ends permitting urination therethrough from the bladder, a confining covering disposed on the hollow member having a length of at least that of the obstructed portion and having hydrophilic means integrally associated therewith. The hydrophilic means is capable of absorbing water and gradually expanding for at least 30 minutes whereby the outer surface of the confining covering expands radially and outwardly, after insertion into the urethra, until dilation of the obstructed portion occurs to a desired diameter and configuration. Methods for dilating an obstructed portion of the urethra and for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia are also provided.
227 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A dilation device for opening a portion of an obstructed urethra, which comprises,
an inner hollow tubular core defining a lumen therewithin, said lumen being a conduit of sufficient diameter to permit urine to flow freely therethrough from the bladder, said core being substantially non-collapsible and containing access means enabling body fluids to pass through said core in a radially outwardly direction; -
an outer confining covering capable of expanding radially outwardly to a predetermined extent, said covering having a length, disposed on said core, of at least partially that of the obstructed portion of the urethra; and hydrophilic material defined between said outer covering and said core capable of absorbing water and thereupon gradually swelling for a period of at least about 30 minutes, thereby to cause the outer covering to gradually expand radially outwardly until dilation of the obstructed portion of the urethra occurs to a desired diameter and configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A dilation device for opening a portion of a urethra obstructed as a consequence of a hypertrophied prostate gland, which comprises,
an inner hollow tubular core defining a lumen therewithin, said lumen being a conduit of sufficient diameter to permit urine to flow freely therethrough from the bladder, said core being non-collapsible under pressures that would emanate from the hypertrophied prostate gland and containing access means enabling body fluids to pass through said core in a radially outwardly direction; -
an outer confining covering in the form of an envelope disposed about at least a portion of said inner core, said envelope having an outer surface capable of expanding radially outwardly to a predetermined maximum diameter, said envelope having a length, disposed on said core, of at least partially that of the obstructed portion of the urethra; and hydrophilic material defined between said envelope and said core capable of absorbing water and thereupon gradually swelling for a period of at least about 30 minutes, thereby to cause the outer surface of the envelope to gradually expand radially outwardly and impact upon the prostate gland, until dilation of the obstructed portion of the urethra occurs to a desired diameter and configuration. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A dilation device for opening a portion of a urethra obstructed as a consequence of a hypertrophied prostate gland, which comprises,
an inner hollow tubular core defining a lumen therewithin, said lumen being a conduit of sufficient diameter to permit urine to flow freely therethrough from the bladder, said core being non-collapsible under pressures that would emanate from the hypertrophied prostate gland and containing access means enabling body fluids to pass through said core in a radially outwardly direction; -
an outer confining covering in the form of a collapsible and expandable bag disposed about at least a portion of said core, said bag having on outer elastic surface capable of expanding radially outwardly, said bag having a length, disposed on said core, of at least partially that of the obstructed portion of the urethra; and hydrophilic material defined between said outer surface of said bag and said core capable of absorbing water and thereupon gradually swelling for a period of at least about 30 minutes, thereby to cause the outer surface of the bag to gradually expand radially outwardly until equilibrium is obtained between the radial pressures of the expanded hydrophilic material and the prostatic tissue, and until dilation of the obstructed portion of the urethra occurs to a desired diameter and configuration. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of dilating a portion of a urethra obstructed as a consequence of a hypertrophied prostate gland, by inserting a device into the urethra comprising,
an inner hollow tubular core defining a lumen therewithin, said lumen being a conduit of sufficient diameter to permit urine to flow freely therethrough from the bladder, said core being non-collapsible under pressures that would emanate from the hypertrophied prostate gland and containing access means enabling body fluids to pass through said core in a radially outwardly direction; - and having
an outer confining covering capable of expanding radially outwardly to a predetermined extent, said covering having a length, disposed on said core, of at least partially that of the obstructed portion of the urethra; and
havinghydrophilic material defined between said outer covering and said core capable of absorbing water and thereupon gradually swelling for a period of at least about 30 minutes; disposing the device within at least the length of the obstructed portion; and leaving said device within the urethra for at least 30 minutes until the hydrophilic means swell due to the uptake of body fluids, whereby the outer covering expands to the extent dilation of the obstructed portion of the urethra occurs to a desired diameter and configuration. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of treating benign prostatic hyperplasia which comprises,
inserting a dilation device into a urethra obstructed as a consequence of the prostatic hyperplasia, said device having hydrophilic means integrally associated therewith which are adapted to gradually swell and then expand radially outwardly when water is absorbed by said means, retaining said device within at least the obstructed portion of the urethra for a period of at least about 30 minutes whereby the hydrophilic means swell due to the uptake of body fluids and gradually expand radially and outwardly to effect a desired dilation of the obstructed portion, leaving the device in the urethra for a period of between about 5 and about 30 days, and removing the device from the urethra, the dilated portion of the urethra thereby tending to remain in such dilated configuration.
Specification