Artificial sphincter with magnetic control

• US 6,409,656 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bernard Greillier, Patrick Sangouard
• Original Assignee: Bernard Greillier, Patrick Sangouard
• Inventors: Greillier, Bernard, Sangouard, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Veniaminov, Nikita R
• Application Number:
  US09/529,708
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 600/29, 600/30, 600/31, 600/32, 600/16, 600/17, 623/3.11, 417/420, 604/129, 604/320, 251/65
• US Class Current: 600/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0018 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0036 implantable A61F2/0018 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to an artificial sphincter provided with a valve implanted permanently on a duct or an organ, whether biological or not, during a surgical operation and which can then be easily activated from outside the human body by the patient and also easily adjusted from outside the human body during a postoperative session by a doctor. The valve (17) of the artificial sphincter comprises a rigid and airtight housing (1, 3, 16), provided with a support conduit (11) receiving the duct (2), and a strap (4) compressing this duct against a wall of the conduit, this strap being kept tight by a spring mechanism (12) which presses a lower disk (6) bearing a first magnet (9), the whole assembly being mobile in axial translation in the housing. It also comprises an upper disk (14) screwed in the housing, forming an axial stop for the first magnet and bearing a second magnet (15). A permanent magnet (18) outside the human body makes it possible to activate the first magnet (9) to loosen the strap (4) and open said duct (2). A rotating electromagnet (27) outside the human body makes it possible to make the second magnet (15) and the upper disk (14) rotate to adjust the tension of the strap and the degree of closure of the duct (2).

Claims

1. A magnetically controlled artificial sphincter valve (17) designed to be installed permanently on one of a duct (2) and an organ, whether biological or not, in a human body, the artificial sphincter valve (17) comprising;

a mechanical means of closure (8) having a first element (9) sensitive to a first magnetic field for closing one of said duct and said organ within a desired degree of closure;

an adjustment means (14) for adjusting a second element (15) sensitive to a second magnetic field to define the desired degree of closure;

a first magnetic control means (18) located outside said human body designed to generate the first magnetic field to activate said first element; and

a second magnetic control means (27) located outside said human body to generate the second magnetic field and adjust said second element (5) and regulate the degree of closure of said mechanical means (8) in closing one of said duct (2) and said organ.

2. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 1, further comprising an airtight housing (1, 3, 16) adapted to be placed on one of said duct (2) and said organ, and provided with a support conduit (11) arranged to receive one of said duct (2) and said organ in an open position and wherein the mechanical means (8) of closure and the adjustment means for regulating the degree of closure are mounted inside said housing.

3. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 2, wherein the mechanical means of closure (8) comprises at least one strap (4) having a first end (5) and a second end (7), arranged to compress one of said duct (2) and said organ against a wall of the support conduit (11), with at least one of said first and second ends of the strap being fixed to the first element (9) sensitive to a magnetic field and mobile in axial translation in said housing.

4. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 3, wherein the mechanical means of closure (8) comprises a spring mechanism (12) mobile in axial translation in said housing, arranged between said support conduit (11) and the first element (9) and arranged to exert pressure on the first element (9) so as to move the first element (9) away from the support conduit (11) to keep the strap (4) tight.

5. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 4, wherein the mechanical means of closure (8) comprises a lower disk (6) mobile in axial translation in the housing, arranged between the spring mechanism (12) and the first element (9) and fixed to one of said first and second ends (5, 7) of the strap (4).

6. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 3, wherein the first magnetic control means (18) comprises an external magnet having poles (28, 29) arranged axially, designed to be arranged substantially opposite said valve (17) and arranged to move said first element (9) axially in the direction of the support conduit (11) to loosen the strap (4).

7. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 2, wherein the adjustment means for adjusting the degree of closure of said mechanical means (8) of closing one of said duct and said organ comprises an upper disk (14) mounted in said housing (1), adjustable by rotational motion via the second element (15) sensitive to the second magnetic field, said upper disk (14) forming an axial stop for said mechanical means (8) of closing the duct.

8. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 7, wherein the second magnetic control means (27) comprises an external rotating magnet having poles (28, 29) arranged in a plane which is perpendicular to an axis of the external rotating magnet, designed to be arranged substantially opposite said valve (17) and arranged to make said second element (15) rotate.

9. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 8, wherein the external rotating magnet comprises a U-shaped metal structure (22) connected to a motor (26), said U-shaped metal structure (22) bearing a coil (23) supplied with an electric current, and wherein at least one of the speed of the motor (26) and the intensity of the current being variable.

10. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 9, wherein the magnet (27) comprises metal lugs (24) mounted at the ends of said U-shaped metal structure (22), and a spacing between the metal lugs (24) being adjustable to adjust the radial position of the poles (28, 29).

11. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 7, wherein a thrust ball bearing (13) is arranged between the mechanical means (8) of closing one of said duct and said organ and the adjustment means (14) for adjusting the degree of closure.

12. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 2, wherein at least the airtight housing (1, 3, 16) is made of rigid, bio-compatible plastic materials.

13. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 12, wherein the support conduit (11) is provided with ends (21) which are flexible to ensure a tight fit with one of said duct (2) and said organ.

14. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 2, wherein the airtight housing (1, 3, 16) is filled with a fluid used as a shock absorber for moving parts of the artificial sphincter valve (17).

15. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first element (9) and the second element (15) sensitive to one of the respective first and second the magnetic fields comprises a magnet.

16. The artificial sphincter valve (17) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first element (9) and the second element (15) sensitive to one of the respective first and second the magnetic fields comprises a metal part.