Intestine dysfunction treatment apparatus
First Claim
1. An intestine dysfunction treatment apparatus, comprising:
- an electric stimulation device implantable in a patient, who suffers from intestine dysfunction, electric conductors of the electric stimulation device adapted to directly engage with a muscle that directly or indirectly affects the transportation of the content of the patient'"'"'s intestines, to electrically stimulate the muscle to increase the tonus thereof, an internal electric source of energy implantable in the patient, and a control device controllable from outside the patient'"'"'s body to control the internal electric source of energy to release electric energy for use in connection with the power of the stimulation device, when the stimulation device is implanted, the electric energy being in the form of an alternating current through the electric conductors, the intensity of the current through the electric conductors amounting to a predetermined value, the control device automatically controlling the electric source of energy to release more electric energy to restore the predetermined value of current intensity when the current through the conductors decreases.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An intestine dysfunction treatment apparatus comprises an electric stimulation device (56) implanted in a patient, who suffers from intestine dysfunction. The stimulation device comprises electric conductors adapted to directly engage with a muscle that directly or indirectly affects the transportation of the content of the patient'"'"'s intestines, for example the anal sphincter (58) or a portion of the muscle that contracts the bowels, to electrically stimulate the muscle to increase the tonus thereof. A control device (62) is provided for controlling a source of energy (64), which may or may not be implanted, to release electric energy for use in connection with the power of the stimulation device. The apparatus can be used for treating patients suffering from anal incontinence or constipation.
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Citations
64 Claims
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1. An intestine dysfunction treatment apparatus, comprising:
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an electric stimulation device implantable in a patient, who suffers from intestine dysfunction, electric conductors of the electric stimulation device adapted to directly engage with a muscle that directly or indirectly affects the transportation of the content of the patient'"'"'s intestines, to electrically stimulate the muscle to increase the tonus thereof, an internal electric source of energy implantable in the patient, and a control device controllable from outside the patient'"'"'s body to control the internal electric source of energy to release electric energy for use in connection with the power of the stimulation device, when the stimulation device is implanted, the electric energy being in the form of an alternating current through the electric conductors, the intensity of the current through the electric conductors amounting to a predetermined value, the control device automatically controlling the electric source of energy to release more electric energy to restore the predetermined value of current intensity when the current through the conductors decreases. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. An intestine dysfunction treatment apparatus, comprising:
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an electric stimulation device implantable in a patient, who suffers from intestine dysfunction, electric conductors of the electric stimulation device adapted to directly engage with a muscle that is capable of contracting the patient'"'"'s large bowel in a wave-like manner for transporting the feces therein, to electrically stimulate the muscle to increase the tonus thereof, an electric source of energy, and a control device controllable from outside the patient'"'"'s body, wherein the control device is adapted to control the stimulation device and the electric source of energy to momentarily supply the stimulation device with electric energy to cause the muscle to momentarily contract the bowel in said wave-like manners, the electric source of energy releasing the electric energy in the form of an alternating current through the electric conductors, the intensity of the current through the electric conductors amounting to a predetermined value. the control device automatically controlling the electric source of energy to release more electric energy to restore the predetermined value of current intensity when the current through the electric conductors decreases. - View Dependent Claims (64)
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Specification