Method of using intravaginal device with fluid transport plates

Abstract

A method of capturing bodily fluid in a mammalian body includes inserting the fluid management device into the mammalian body and transporting bodily fluid. The bodily fluid is transferred via at least one fluid transport element that is capable of interfacing with a mammalian body element to provide a substantially uninterrupted fluid conduit. The fluid conduit provides a fluid path between at least one fluid transport element and the storage element. A distal portion of the at least one fluid transport element is capable of extending away from the fluid storage element.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This invention is related to the following copending applications filed on even date herewith: “Intravaginal Device with Fluid Acquisition Plates” (U.S. Ser. No. 60 / ______; Atty Docket No. PPC-5073), “Intravaginal Device with Fluid Acquisition Plates and Method of Making” (U.S. Ser. No. 60 / ______; Atty Docket No. PPC-5072), “Fluid Management Device with Fluid Transport Element for use within a Body” (U.S. Ser. No. 10 / ______; Atty Docket No. PPC-5071), “Tampon with Flexible Panels” (U.S. Ser. No. 10 / ______; Atty Docket No. PPC-5074), “Method of Using an Intravaginal Device with Fluid Transport Plates” (U.S. Ser. No. 10 / ______; Atty Docket No. PPC-5075), and “Intravaginal Device with Fluid Acquisition Plates” (U.S. Ser. No. 10 / ______; Atty Docket No. PPC-5070), the content of each of which is incorporated herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to methods of capturing and storing bodily fluid intravaginally and ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

A drawback often encountered with commercially available tampons is the tendency toward premature failure, which may be defined as bodily fluid leakage from the vagina while the tampon is in place, and before the tampon is completely saturated with the bodily fluid.

The patent art typically describes a problem believed to occur that an unexpanded, compressed tampon is unable to immediately absorb fluid.

Therefore, it presumes that premature leakage may occur when bodily fluid contacts a portion of the compressed tampon, and the fluid is not readily absorbed.

While this tampon may allow for a certain amount of protection from bypass leakage, the uncompressed portion may become saturated before the compressed portion has a chance to expand and become absorbent.

The absorbent portions of the tampon can saturate locally, which leads to bypass leakage.

However, based upon current understandings of vaginal pressures, it is not understood how the described structure could form such an opened volume.

Therefore, an external absorbent article can contain fluid gushes, but it does not appear to address the problems relating in particular to intravaginal devices, such as a tampon.

These density differences may allow the tampon to absorb somewhat more fluid, but premature leakage still occurs.

The areas with the larger holes may absorb more fluid, but the areas with the smaller holes are limited in the amount of fluid that they can absorb, and premature leakage may still occur.

While the prior art is replete with examples of sanitary protection articles that capture bodily fluids both externally and intravaginally, these examples do not overcome the problem of premature failure often identified as by-pass leakage that commonly occurs while using internal sanitary protection devices.

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