Apparatus, system and operation method for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction

• US 8,600,510 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2009
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kirk Promotion Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Milux Holding SA
• Inventors: Forsell, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes, Rex R
• Application Number:
  US13/122,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20110196466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 607 36- 40, 601/46, 601/70
• US Class Current: 607/39
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 19/34 For clitoral stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 19/40 Devices insertable in the genitals
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0524 Vaginal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling

Abstract

There is disclosed an apparatus for treating a sexual dysfunctional female patient, comprising an implanted stimulation device adapted to stimulate at least a part of the sexually responsive tissue of the vulva or the wall of the vagina of the patient by movement of said stimulation device and contact between said stimulation device and the sexually responsive tissue or the wall of the vagina. A system and an operation method for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for treating a sexual dysfunctional female patient, comprising an implanted at least one stimulation device adapted to stimulate the corpora cavernosa being, wherein the at least one stimulating device is adapted to create movement of said stimulation device, stimulating device is adapted to be implanted in the corpora cavernosa to stimulate the corpora cavernosa by the movements from the inside thereof, thus adapted for being surrounded by float blood, further comprising a control device adapted to:

manually control the at least one stimulating device from outside the patients body, and control the intensity of the stimulation device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising at least one operation device adapted to operate said at least one stimulation device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation device of said stimulation device is adapted to create said movement with at least one of:

a frequency from 0.1 to 10 000 Hz, and an amplitude of from 0.01 to 30 mm.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a control device and at least one sensor adapted to detect a physiological parameter of the patient and/or a functional parameter of the apparatus, wherein said control device comprises a control unit adapted to automatically control the at least one stimulating device based on input from said at least one sensor.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, where the at least one stimulating device is controlled by an endogenous signal.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, where the at least one stimulating device is adapted to create movements along more than one axis.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, comprising a control device for independently controlling amplitude and frequency of the movement in the two different axes.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one operation device is adapted to be implanted at a distance from the at least one stimulating device.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising at least two stimulating devices, adapted to be placed in the region of the sexually responsive tissue of the vulva or the wall of the vagina.

10. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation device is an integrated part of the stimulation device or the stimulation device and operation device are the same and one unit.

11. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation device comprises at least one device selected from the group consisting of an electromagnetic device, a magnetic device and a piezoelectric device, wherein the movement is achieved by said device.

12. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation device comprising a motor or an electric motor, wherein the movement is achieved by said motor or electric motor.

13. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation device comprising a hydraulic device, wherein the movement is achieved by said hydraulic device.

14. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation device comprising a mechanical device, wherein the movement is achieved by said mechanical device.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an eccentric mechanism, wherein the movement is achieved by the eccentric mechanism.

16. The system according to claim 2, wherein the operation device comprises a servo designed to decrease the force needed for the operation device to operate the apparatus instead the operation device acting a longer way, increasing the time for a determined action.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one implantable reservoir, adapted to be implanted in the sexually responsive tissue of the vulva of the patient, wherein said at least one stimulation device is placed in said at least one reservoir.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, included in a system for manually and non-invasively controlling the apparatus, comprising at least one of;

at least one switch implantable in the patient, a wireless remote control, and an implantable hydraulic reservoir hydraulically connected to the apparatus adapted to be regulated by manually pressing the hydraulic reservoir.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, included in a system, adapted to be energized non-invasively by at least one of:

an implanted internal energy source, and non-invasively and wirelessly by an energy transmission device from outside the patients body sending wireless energy to an internal energy receiver comprising at least one of;

the implantable internal energy source comprised in the system, chargeable by the energy transferred from the energy transmission device, and

at least one implantable energy consuming component of the apparatus, energised with wireless energy.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, included in a system, adapted to use a sensor and/or a measuring device sensing or measuring at least one of;

at least one physical parameter of the patient, and

at least one functional parameter related to the apparatus, comprising at least one of;

a functional parameter correlated to the transfer of energy for charging the internal energy source, according to claim 19, and any other functional parameter related to the apparatus,

wherein the apparatus further comprising a feedback device for sending feedback information from inside the patient'"'"'s body to at least one of;

an implantable internal control unit and the outside of the patients body, the feedback information being related to at least one of;

the at least one physical parameter of the patient and the at least one functional parameter related to the apparatus.