Intra-vaginal devices and methods for treating fecal incontinence
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An intravaginal device for the control of stool passage, the device comprising:
- a collapsible stabilizing body including a plurality of segments interconnected by joints and configured to modulate between an open state and a collapsed state by movement of the segments about the joints,an expandable body positioned above the stabilizing body, the expandable body configured to provide a non-extended state and an extended state, the expandable body configured to push against a recto-vaginal septum of a user in the extended state;
a locking mechanism configured to maintain the collapsible stabilizing body in the open state upon engagement of the locking mechanism and permit the collapsible stabilizing body to collapse upon disengagement of the locking mechanism; and
a support structure mounted to the stabilizing body to support a first portion of the expandable body, the support structure being configured to collapse or fold when the stabilizing body moves from the open state to the collapsed state, and the support structure being configured to support the first portion of the expandable body on at least one surface of the support structure when the stabilizing body is in the open state and the expandable body is in the extended state.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are devices and methods for intra-vaginal bowel control.
133 Citations
98 Claims
-
1. An intravaginal device for the control of stool passage, the device comprising:
-
a collapsible stabilizing body including a plurality of segments interconnected by joints and configured to modulate between an open state and a collapsed state by movement of the segments about the joints, an expandable body positioned above the stabilizing body, the expandable body configured to provide a non-extended state and an extended state, the expandable body configured to push against a recto-vaginal septum of a user in the extended state; a locking mechanism configured to maintain the collapsible stabilizing body in the open state upon engagement of the locking mechanism and permit the collapsible stabilizing body to collapse upon disengagement of the locking mechanism; and a support structure mounted to the stabilizing body to support a first portion of the expandable body, the support structure being configured to collapse or fold when the stabilizing body moves from the open state to the collapsed state, and the support structure being configured to support the first portion of the expandable body on at least one surface of the support structure when the stabilizing body is in the open state and the expandable body is in the extended state. - 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, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. A method of controlling stool passage in a user, the method comprising
inserting an intra-vaginal device in the user'"'"'s vagina, the device comprising a collapsible stabilizing body including a plurality of segments interconnected by joints, a support structure mounted to the stabilizing body, and an expandable body, the collapsible stabilizing body being in a collapsed state during insertion, and the support structure being in a collapsed or folded state during insertion; -
moving the interconnected segments about the joints to modulate the collapsible stabilizing body from the collapsed state to an open state and to move the support structure from the collapsed or folded state to an expanded state; locking the collapsible stabilizing body in the open state; extending the expandable body against a recto-vaginal septum of the vagina to at least partially occlude the user'"'"'s rectum, the support structure being in the expanded state and supporting a first portion of the extended expandable body on at least one surface of the support structure; and retracting the expandable body while the stabilizing body is open to permit stool to pass through the rectum. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 48)
-
-
45. An intravaginal device for the control of stool passage of an adult human female user, the device comprising,
an expandable body; -
an intravaginal stabilizing body supporting the expandable body to maintain position and stability of the expandable body in the user'"'"'s vagina during repeated expansions of the expandable body in an extension direction to contact the user'"'"'s rectovaginal septum to at least partially occlude the rectum, the stabilizing body comprising a locking mechanism, the stabilizing body having a collapsed configuration and a stable open configuration in which the stabilizing body is held open by the locking mechanism; and a support structure mounted to the stabilizing body to support a first portion of the expandable body, the support structure being configured to collapse or fold when the stabilizing body moves from the open configuration to the collapsed configuration, and the support structure being configured to support the first portion of the expandable body on at least one surface of the support structure when the stabilizing body is in the open configuration and the expandable body is expanded. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87)
-
-
88. A method of selectively occluding a rectum to inhibit stool passage in a female user, the method comprising
inserting an intravaginal device into the user'"'"'s vagina, the device comprising a stabilizing body, a support structure mounted to the stabilizing body, and an expandable body, the stabilizing body being in a collapsed configuration during insertion, and the support structure being in a collapsed or folded state during insertion; -
moving the stabilizing body from the collapsed configuration to an open configuration such that the support structure moves from the collapsed or folded state to an expanded state; engaging vaginal anatomy with the stabilizing body in the open configuration to stably support the expandable body; locking the stabilizing body in the open configuration; extending the expandable body against a recto-vaginal septum of the vagina body during the engaging step to at least partially occlude the user'"'"'s rectum, the support structure being in the expanded state and supporting a first portion of the extended expandable body on at least one surface of the support structure; and retracting the expandable body while the stabilizing body is in the open configuration to permit stool to pass through the rectum. - View Dependent Claims (89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
-
Specification