The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 25, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 28, 1998
Christopher H Porter, Woodinville, WA (US);
SRS Medical, Inc., Burlington, MA (US);
Abstract
A urethral valve system includes a fixation balloon that is positioned in and contoured to the geometry of the bladder near the opening to the urethra. The fixation balloon, which is narrower at an end that is closest to the urethra and wider at an opposite end, includes a channel through which urine is directed to flow from the bladder to the urethra. A valve balloon is positioned in the channel and inflates to prevent urine flow through the channel and deflates to allow urine to flow around the balloon and out the end of the channel. The fixation balloon may be attached to a Foley-type catheter, with the catheter providing the channel through the balloon. The fixation balloon then acts as a shock absorber for the system by moving relative to the catheter in response to, for example, a contraction in the bladder. The catheter may contain lumens that provide access to the valve balloon and/or the fixation balloon. The fixation balloon is inserted in a deflated state and inflated to hold the system in place. The fixation balloon remains inflated with the valve balloon providing continence when it is in an inflated state and allowing voiding when it is in a deflated state. Only when the device is to be removed from the body is the fixation balloon deflated.