Connector cuff

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9724182-B2
Application number	US-201414521475-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2014
Priority date	Oct 17, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

An artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) system that includes an elastic tube to be wrapped around a urethra and having at least one connector. The elastic tube has a first end to receive and dispatch fluid and a second end to be connected to the at least one connector. The elastic tube receives and dispatches the fluid to expand and contract the elastic tube and to coapt the urethra for continence and open the urethra for voiding.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. An artificial urinary sphincter system, comprising:
an elastic tube to be wrapped around a urethra and having at least one connector, wherein the elastic tube has a first end that provides a first opening to receive and dispatch fluid, a second end that provides a second opening, and tubing between the first end and the second end, where the first end of the elastic tube is insertable into the second opening of the second end of the elastic tube to provide an annular elastic tube with an internal flow path that is continuous and annular around the annular elastic tube, such that the fluid can flow all the way around the annular elastic tube including from the second end into the first opening without flowing through the tubing between the first end and the second end;
wherein the annular elastic tube receives and dispatches the fluid to expand and contract the annular elastic tube and to coapt the urethra for continence and open the urethra for voiding;
wherein the at least one connector includes a first connector having an end that forms the first end of the elastic tube and a second connector having an end that is attachable to a separate section of tubing and adapted to communicate with a reservoir.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein an exterior surface of the elastic tube opposite of the at least one connector is flat to provide a backboard for placement against supporting fascia tissue superior to the urethra.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the elastic tube is pre-shaped into one of a circular shape and an oval shape for wrapping around the urethra.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the elastic tube is molded into the at least one connector and the first end is molded to receive a separate section of tubing.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the elastic tube is fluidically connected to a control device that regulates flow of the fluid to and from the elastic tube.

6. The system of claim 5 , comprising a reservoir to hold the fluid, wherein the control device includes a pump that transfers the fluid to one of the elastic tube to expand the elastic tube and the reservoir to deflate the elastic tube.

7. The system of claim 5 , comprising a reservoir to hold the fluid, wherein the control device regulates the flow of the fluid between the reservoir and the elastic tube.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the reservoir maintains an elevated fluid pressure, and the control device regulates the flow of the fluid from the reservoir to the elastic tube to inflate the elastic tube.

9. An artificial urinary sphincter system, comprising:
an elastic tube to be wrapped around a urethra, the elastic tube having an open first end and an open second end; and
a connector to receive fluid from a reservoir and having a first connector, a second connector, and a third connector, wherein the third connector is attachable to tubing to communicate with the reservoir and the first connector is to be connected to the open first end and the second connector is to be connected to the open second end to provide an annular elastic tube with an internal flow path that is continuous and annular around the annular elastic tube, wherein the first connector extends in a first direction and the second connector extends in a second direction and the first direction and the second direction define an angle relative to one another that is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees, such that the connector provides a non-linear curved fit against the urethra, and the elastic tube receives and dispatches the fluid to coapt the urethra for continence and open the urethra for voiding.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein one portion of the elastic tube is at least one of flattened out and oval shaped to be inserted behind the urethra.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the elastic tube is pre-shaped into one of a circular shape and an oval shape for wrapping around the urethra.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein one of the first end and second end of the elastic tube is over-molded onto the corresponding one of the first connector and the second connector.

13. The system of claim 9 , comprising a control device, wherein the third connector is adapted to be fluidically connected to the control device that regulates flow of the fluid to and from the connector.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control device includes a pump that transfers the fluid to one of the elastic tube to expand the elastic tube and the reservoir to deflate the elastic tube.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control device regulates the flow of the fluid between the reservoir and the elastic tube.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the reservoir maintains an elevated fluid pressure and the control device regulates the flow of the fluid from the reservoir to the elastic tube to inflate the elastic tube.

17. The system of claim 9 , wherein the elastic tube includes an elastomer.

18. An artificial urinary sphincter system, comprising:
an elastic tube to be wrapped around a urethra and having at least one connector, wherein the elastic tube has a first end that provides a first opening to receive and dispatch fluid, a second end that provides a second opening, and tubing between the first end and the second end, where the first end of the elastic tube is insertable into the second opening of the second end of the elastic tube to provide an annular elastic tube with an internal flow path that is continuous and annular around the annular elastic tube, such that the fluid can flow all the way around the annular elastic tube including from the second end into the first opening without flowing through the tubing between the first end and the second end; and
a reservoir to hold the fluid;
wherein the annular elastic tube receives and dispatches the fluid to expand and contract the annular elastic tube and to coapt the urethra for continence and open the urethra for voiding;
wherein the elastic tube is fluidically connected to a control device, and the control device regulates the flow of the fluid between the reservoir and the elastic tube.

Assignees

• Coloplast As

Inventors

• Taylor Jeffrey Brian

Classifications

• A61F2/004 Primary

  inflatable · CPC title

• A61F2230/0006

  circular · CPC title

• A61F2250/0003

  having an inflatable pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid or gas · CPC title

• A61F2230/0008

  elliptical or oval · CPC title

• A61F2250/001

  for adjusting a diameter · CPC title