Urethral stent system and method
First Claim
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1. A system for treating urinary incontinence in a patient, comprising:
- a stent-like device configured for deployment within a urethra, the stent-like device having;
first and second body portions; and
an interior valve mechanism having a pivoting member including a stopper member, a flange member, and a biasing member, the biasing member including a spring member, the biasing member biasing the pivoting member toward a closed position such that urine flow is at least substantially blocked through the valve mechanism to promote continence, with the stopper member defining a first arm structure and the flange member defining a second arm structure extending at a fixed angle from the stopper member such that the stopper member and the flange member are operably connected to rotate together and the distance therebetween does not substantially change, wherein the valve mechanism is configured such that, during normal operation, the valve mechanism is passively actuated toward an open position when a threshold fluid pressure force is applied to the flange member parallel to a natural direction of urine flow through the urethra without application of an external force.
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Abstract
A urethral stent device comprising a mechanical valve system is provided. The urethral stent device can be delivered up through the urethra via a flexible delivery tool. The valve mechanism is adapted to open when exposed to a certain amount of intraluminal pressure and can remain open until a desired cessation of fluid flow is achieved.
137 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A system for treating urinary incontinence in a patient, comprising:
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a stent-like device configured for deployment within a urethra, the stent-like device having; first and second body portions; and an interior valve mechanism having a pivoting member including a stopper member, a flange member, and a biasing member, the biasing member including a spring member, the biasing member biasing the pivoting member toward a closed position such that urine flow is at least substantially blocked through the valve mechanism to promote continence, with the stopper member defining a first arm structure and the flange member defining a second arm structure extending at a fixed angle from the stopper member such that the stopper member and the flange member are operably connected to rotate together and the distance therebetween does not substantially change, wherein the valve mechanism is configured such that, during normal operation, the valve mechanism is passively actuated toward an open position when a threshold fluid pressure force is applied to the flange member parallel to a natural direction of urine flow through the urethra without application of an external force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for treating urinary incontinence in a patient, comprising:
a stent-like device configured for deployment within a urethra, the stent-like device having; first and second self-expanding body portions; and a single interior valve mechanism having a single pivoting flange member, a single pivoting stopper member, and a biasing member, the biasing member biasing the stopper member toward a closed position such that urine flow is at least substantially blocked through the valve mechanism to promote continence, wherein the pivoting stopper member defines an arm structure that extends generally perpendicular from the pivoting flange member such that the pivoting stopper member correspondingly rotates with the pivoting flange member such that the distance between the pivoting stopper member and the pivoting flange member remains substantially constant and does not decrease, wherein the biasing member is positioned at a pivot point around which the pivoting flange member and the pivoting stopper member pivot. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for treating urinary incontinence in a patient, comprising:
a stent-like device configured for deployment within a urethra, the stent-like device having; first and second self-expanding body portions; and an interior valve mechanism having a pivoting flange member, a pivoting stopper member, and a biasing member, the biasing member biasing the stopper member toward a closed position such that urine flow is at least substantially blocked through the valve mechanism to promote continence, wherein the pivoting stopper member defines an arm structure that extends generally perpendicular from the pivoting flange member such that the pivoting stopper member correspondingly rotates with the pivoting flange member such that the distance between the pivoting stopper member and the pivoting flange member remains substantially constant and does not decrease, wherein the biasing member is positioned at a pivot point around which the pivoting flange member and the pivoting stopper member pivot, wherein the stopper member is configured to be pivotable to a second position when a threshold urine flow pressure is exerted on the flange member such that the stopper member is pivoted to an unseated position to permit urine flow along a flow path through the valve mechanism.
Specification