Electrode sling for treating stress and urge incontinence

• US 9,889,298 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2007
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ENDO Operations Limited (Endo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ASTORA Women's Health, LLC (Endo International PLC)
• Inventors: Longhini, Ross A., Gross, Yosef
• Primary Examiner(s): GETZOW, SCOTT M
• Application Number:
  US12/281,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20090043356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,009 Days
• Field of Search: 607 29- 37
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0045 Support slings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0524 Vaginal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control

Abstract

Apparatus is provided, including an implantable mechanical support comprising a mesh shaped to support a portion of a urethra of a patient. One or more electrodes, coupled to the mesh, so as to contact tissue of the patient when the mechanical support (26) is implanted in the patient. A control unit drives the electrodes to apply a current to the tissue. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. An implantable pelvic treatment apparatus, comprising:

an implantable mechanical support comprising mesh shaped to support a portion of a urethra of a patient;

three or more electrodes, coupled to the mechanical support;

one or more circuitry units on the mechanical support; and

a control unit electrically coupled to the one or more circuitry units;

wherein the one or more circuitry units are configured to direct a current from the control unit to a subset of the electrodes in response to a signal from the control unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical support comprises mesh that is shaped to define a longitudinal axis thereof, and wherein all of the electrodes are greater than 2 mm from a center point of the longitudinal axis.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is operative to configure the treatment current to stimulate a pelvic muscle of the patient and induce contraction of the muscle.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is operative to configure the treatment current to induce in a nerve of the patient action potential propagation that induces contraction of a pelvic muscle of the patient.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is operative to configure the treatment current to induce in a nerve of the patient action potential propagation that induces relaxation of a pelvic muscle of the patient.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical support comprises a sling.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical support comprises a plurality of beads selected from the group consisting of:

carbon beads, and polymer beads.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical support comprises an electrode lead, and wherein the electrode lead couples the control unit to at least one of the electrodes.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is wirelessly coupled to the one or more electrodes.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a drug and a pump operative to pump the drug from the control unit after implantation in the patient.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pelvic condition is selected from the group consisting of urge incontinence and stress incontinence.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pelvic condition is selected from the group consisting of:

bladder dysfunction, mixed incontinence, overactive bladder, interstitial cystitis, and fecal incontinence.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is operative to set a frequency of the treatment current to be between 5 and 15 Hz.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is operative to set a duration of pulses of the treatment current to be between 50 μ

s and 1 ms.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is operative to set a pulse duration of pulses of the treatment current to be greater than 1 ms.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a sensor operative to generate a signal indicative of imminent stress incontinence.

17. A method of treating a pelvic condition of a patient comprising:

supporting a portion of a urethra of a patient comprising implanting a mechanical support comprising mesh in the patient; and

selectively driving a current from a control unit through a subset of three or more electrodes attached to the mechanical support in response to a signal from the control unit using one or more circuitry units on the mechanical support; and

treating the pelvic condition in response to selectively driving the current.