Implantable medical balloon and valve
First Claim
1. An implantabic balloon comprising:
- a valve portion having;
a valve body defining an inlet;
a valve stem extending from said body opposite said inlet;
a piercing extending from said inlet, through said body and stem, said valve portion constructed from a soft, elastomeric material having memory thereby causing said piercing to remain closed and fluid-tight unless penetrated by a relatively rigid member, the memory of the material also causing reclosing of said valve to a fluid-tight configuration after the piercing and the withdrawal of the relatively rigid member;
a balloon portion, integral with said valve portion, constructed and arranged to receive and hold fluids exiting said piercing opposite said inlet.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A medical balloon, implantable in human tissue, of unitary silicone construction. The balloon is self-sealing upon removal of an inflation implement. The balloon device comprises a molded valve portion which is dip-coated in a silicone dispersion to create a balloon wall around and integral with the valve portion. Preferably, both the valve portion and the balloon wall are comprised of the same silicone material. The dipping process, combined with a vulcanizing process, creates a laminar wall which is strong and resistant to separation during inflation. The balloons may be used in for the treatement of urinary incontinence or vesicoureteral reflux, alternative procedures such as emboliztion or blocking of veins or arteries to accomplish the treatement of enlarged blood vessels in the brain or for treating severe uterine bleeding.
77 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An implantabic balloon comprising:
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a valve portion having; a valve body defining an inlet; a valve stem extending from said body opposite said inlet; a piercing extending from said inlet, through said body and stem, said valve portion constructed from a soft, elastomeric material having memory thereby causing said piercing to remain closed and fluid-tight unless penetrated by a relatively rigid member, the memory of the material also causing reclosing of said valve to a fluid-tight configuration after the piercing and the withdrawal of the relatively rigid member; a balloon portion, integral with said valve portion, constructed and arranged to receive and hold fluids exiting said piercing opposite said inlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A self-sealing medical balloon of unitary construction, implantable in a human body, comprising:
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a cylindrical valve body having a predetermined diameter and an upper side and a lower side; an inlet defined by said valve body lower side; a cylindrical valve stem extending upwardly from said valve body, said valve stem having a diameter smaller than said valve body diameter; a balloon wall adapted to receive and bold fluids, the balloon wall extending outwardly from said valve body, said balloon wall having an inner diameter, while in a deflated state, which is larger than said valve stem diameter such that an annular space exists between said balloon wall and said valve stem while said balloon is deflated, said annular space provided to relieve stress from a union of said balloon wall and said valve body when said balloon is inflated; a piercing extending from said inlet, through said valve body and through said valve stem, into an inner chamber defined by said balloon, said piercing constructed and arranged to remain closed unless a substantially rigid member is pushed through said piercing, such as to inflate said balloon, whereby said piercing member recloses after said member is withdrawn, thereby preventing a fluid from escaping from said inner chamber. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A valve of unitary construction, useable to prevent fluid from escaping from an implantable balloon operably attached to the valve, the valve comprising:
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a substantially cylindrical body defining an inlet, concentric with said body, opening in a direction opposite the balloon; a valve stem, integral with said body, having a substantially cylindrical side and rounded tip opposite said body and leading to an interior of the balloon; a piercing, defined by said valve body and said valve stem, extending from said inlet toward said balloon and leading to the interior of the balloon, said piercing having a bend which curves toward said stem side; a cylindrical sidewall, integral with said body, extending in a direction toward said balloon, radially displaced from said stem side, thereby creating an annular space between said stem and said sidewall, said sidewall having an external surface attachable to said balloon. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification