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:
Jan. 14, 2014
Filed:
Oct. 02, 2009
Heather A. C. Wark, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Patrick C. Cartwright, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Richard A. Normann, Park City, UT (US);
Heather A. C. Wark, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Patrick C. Cartwright, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Richard A. Normann, Park City, UT (US);
University of Utah Research Foundation, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Abstract
Methods and related systems for treating patients suffering from several disorders including bladder dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, and bowel elimination disorders are disclosed and described. The method can include identification of the disorder followed by the step of accessing a pudendal nerve of the patient. A microelectrode array having a plurality of electrodes thereon is inserted into the pudendal nerve of the patient. A controller is electronically associated with the microelectrode array which is programmed to provide selective activation and/or blocking of various muscles using the microelectrodes of the array. The selective stimulation can be tuned to selectively activate or block at least one muscle selected from the group consisting of the external urethral sphincter, the detrusor muscle, the anal sphincter, and the cavernous smooth musculature of the penis.