Intra-vaginal device for fecal incontinence
First Claim
1. An intravaginal device for the control of stool passage of a female user, the device comprising:
- a reversibly extendable force applying portion having an extended state and a nonextended state; and
an intravaginal stabilizing body supporting the force applying portion, the stabilizing body extending in a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the stabilizing body having a laterally narrower portion and a laterally wider portion, and the greatest lateral extent of the force applying portion being narrower than the greatest lateral extent of the stabilizing body,wherein the stabilizing body is sized and configured to fit entirely within a vaginal cavity of the user with the longitudinal extent of the stabilizing body extending substantially along a length of the vaginal cavity to hold the force applying portion in contact with the user'"'"'s recto-vaginal septum to control the passage of stool through a rectum of the user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An intra-vaginal device for the control of stool passage, including a body mechanism for securing the device around the area of the pubic notch and in the area of the posterior fornix, the body mechanism including a force applying mechanism for reversibly applying a force to a posterior portion of the vagina to occlude the rectum. A method of controlling the passage of stool in a patient, by inserting an intra-vaginal device into the patient'"'"'s vagina such that an anterior end rests around the pubic notch and a posterior end rests in the posterior fornix, exerting a force towards the posterior side of the vagina, moving an anterior wall of the patient'"'"'s rectum towards the posterior wall of the rectum with the force applying portion, impeding the passage of stool, and removing the force, allowing stool to pass.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. An intravaginal device for the control of stool passage of a female user, the device comprising:
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a reversibly extendable force applying portion having an extended state and a nonextended state; and an intravaginal stabilizing body supporting the force applying portion, the stabilizing body extending in a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the stabilizing body having a laterally narrower portion and a laterally wider portion, and the greatest lateral extent of the force applying portion being narrower than the greatest lateral extent of the stabilizing body, wherein the stabilizing body is sized and configured to fit entirely within a vaginal cavity of the user with the longitudinal extent of the stabilizing body extending substantially along a length of the vaginal cavity to hold the force applying portion in contact with the user'"'"'s recto-vaginal septum to control the passage of stool through a rectum of the user. - 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)
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32. A method of selectively occluding a rectum to inhibit stool passage in a female user, the method comprising:
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inserting an intra-vaginal device into the user'"'"'s vagina; stably supporting a force applying portion of the device against a recto-vaginal septum of the user while the force applying portion is in a nonextended state and slack is maintained in a region of a vaginal wall of the user adjacent the nonextended force applying portion; extending the force applying portion to an extended state to apply a force with the force applying portion against the recto-vaginal septum while stably supporting the force applying portion against the recto-vaginal septum to impede passage of stool through the rectum of the user; and after extending the force applying portion to the extended state to apply the force with the force applying portion against the recto-vaginal septum, reducing the force sufficiently to permit stool to pass through the rectum. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An intravaginal device for the control of stool passage of a female user, the device comprising:
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a reversibly extendable force applying portion having an extended state and a nonextended state; and an intravaginal stabilizing body supporting the force applying portion, the stabilizing body having a laterally narrower portion and a laterally wider portion, and the greatest lateral extent of the force applying portion being narrower than the greatest lateral extent of the stabilizing body, wherein the stabilizing body has a lateral span that is narrower in proximity to the force applying portion than in a region not in proximity to the force applying portion, and the stabilizing body is sized and configured to fit entirely within a vaginal cavity of the user to hold the force applying portion in contact with the user'"'"'s recto-vaginal septum to control the passage of stool through a rectum of the user.
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41. An intravaginal device for the control of stool passage of a female user, the device comprising:
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a reversibly extendable force applying portion having an extended state and a nonextended state; and an intravaginal stabilizing body supporting the force applying portion, the stabilizing body having a laterally narrower portion and a laterally wider portion, and the greatest lateral extent of the force applying portion being narrower than the greatest lateral extent of the stabilizing body, wherein the stabilizing body is sized and configured to fit entirely within a vaginal cavity of the user to hold the force applying portion in contact with the user'"'"'s recto-vaginal septum to control the passage of stool through a rectum of the user, and the device is sized and configured such that tension in the vaginal wall in a superior portion of the vagina is less than tension in the vaginal wall in an inferior portion of the vaginal cavity when the device is disposed in the vaginal cavity and the force applying portion is in the nonextended state.
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Specification