An adjustable pessary

Abstract

The application belongs to the field of nursing appliances, and particularly discloses an adjustable pessary, which comprises a pessary body, the pessary body is arranged in an inverted taper shape with the upper part being wide and the lower part being narrow, the pessary body is composed of a plurality of supporting blocks which are connected in an up-down mode, a flexible ring is arranged between the edges of adjacent supporting blocks, and a limiting mechanism is arranged between adjacent supporting blocks in the flexible ring; the limiting mechanism comprises a rotating shaft arranged on the supporting block, a fixed seat arranged on the two sides of the rotating shaft, a clamping groove two arranged on the fixed seat, a plurality of clamping blocks arranged on the two sides of the rotating shaft, a plum blossom column arranged in an extension mode between adjacent rotating shafts, and an oscillating arm connected with one of the plum blossom columns; the pessary is composed of a plurality of supporting blocks in a series connection mode through the limiting mechanism, the length of the pessary is adjusted in multiple stages, the overall length of the pessary can be accurately adjusted by a doctor according to the specific prolapse degree and the pelvic cavity depth of a patient, and the supporting force can directly reach the prolapse part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of nursing equipment, and specifically relates to an adjustable uterine support. Background Technology

[0002] Uterine prolapse is a common gynecological condition, often caused by damage to the pelvic floor support structures due to factors such as pregnancy and childbirth, pelvic floor muscle relaxation, and prolonged increased abdominal pressure. This causes the uterus to descend along the vagina, and in severe cases, the cervix or uterine body may protrude outside the vaginal opening. Clinical data shows that the prevalence of uterine prolapse in women over 50 years of age is 15%-20%. Patients often experience symptoms such as vaginal heaviness, lower back pain, frequent and urgent urination, and discomfort during sexual intercourse, significantly impacting their quality of life.

[0003] Currently, the treatment of uterine prolapse is divided into surgical and non-surgical treatments: Although surgical treatment can cure the condition, it carries the risks of significant trauma, long recovery period, and recurrence of pelvic floor dysfunction after surgery (especially in elderly patients); Non-surgical treatment, with the "uterine pessary" as its core approach, involves inserting a medical support device externally to support the uterus. It has the advantages of being non-invasive, convenient, and removable at any time, making it the preferred treatment option for elderly patients, patients with underlying diseases (such as hypertension and diabetes), or patients who are temporarily unsuitable for surgery.

[0004] Because there are significant differences in pelvic depth and degree of uterine prolapse among different patients, a "personalized size" uterine pessary is needed to achieve stable support. However, the traditional uterine pessary has a relatively fixed structural specification, is generally disc-shaped, and can only lift the cervix, but cannot lift the uterus and vaginal wall. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an adjustable pessary to solve the problem mentioned in the background art that traditional pessaries cannot adapt to individual differences in pelvic depth and degree of uterine prolapse among different patients.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0007] An adjustable uterine pessary includes: a uterine pessary body, the uterine pessary body being an inverted cone shape that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, the uterine pessary body being composed of several pessary blocks connected vertically, a flexible ring being provided between the edges of adjacent pessary blocks, and a limit mechanism being provided between adjacent pessary blocks within the flexible ring;

[0008] The limiting mechanism includes a rotating shaft mounted on a support block, a fixed seat mounted on adjacent support blocks on both sides of the rotating shaft, a second slot mounted on the fixed seat, several locking blocks mounted on both sides of the rotating shaft, the locking blocks being adapted to the second slot, a swing arm being movably mounted on the bottom support block, and a plum blossom column being telescopically mounted between adjacent rotating shafts, the swing arm being connected to one of the plum blossom columns.

[0009] Preferably, elastic strips are provided on the fixing seats at the top and bottom of the second slot, and the first slot is provided around the rotating shaft at the top and bottom of the card block.

[0010] Preferably, the inner wall of the support block at the top of the flexible ring is provided with a plurality of arc-shaped supports, and an elastic element is provided between the arc-shaped supports and the support block. The outer surface of the arc-shaped supports is in contact with the inner wall of the next level support block.

[0011] Preferably, a limit handle is provided on one side of the bottom of the bottommost support block.

[0012] Preferably, a limiting ring is provided around the outer periphery of the rotating shaft, and a movable groove is provided in the support block surrounding the limiting ring.

[0013] Preferably, the bottom support block is provided with at least two protrusions, the front end of the swing arm is provided with a flexible belt, the flexible belt is provided with a through hole, the through hole is adapted to the protrusion, and the front end of the flexible belt is provided with a pull strap.

[0014] Preferably, the inner diameter of the top edge of the support block is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the bottom edge of the previous support block.

[0015] Preferably, the plurality of the support blocks include, from top to bottom, a top support, a movable support, and a bottom support.

[0016] Preferably, the cross-sections of the top support and the bottom support are U-shaped and mirror images of each other, and the cross-section of the movable support is H-shaped.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0018] This invention uses a limiting mechanism to connect multiple support blocks to form a uterine pessary, enabling multi-level adjustment of the pessary's length. Doctors can precisely adjust the overall length of the pessary according to the patient's specific degree of prolapse and pelvic depth. This completely overcomes the drawbacks of traditional fixed-size uterine pessaries, providing customized support lengths for different patients, ensuring that the support force reaches the prolapsed area directly, and achieving precise and stable treatment results.

[0019] This invention features an inverted cone shape, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, which better conforms to the natural anatomical curve of the female vagina, resembling the shape of a penis. This design not only greatly reduces the feeling of a foreign object and discomfort when wearing it, but more importantly, its gradually increasing support surface from bottom to top can simultaneously support the sagging cervix, uterine body, and the loose anterior and posterior vaginal walls, achieving a comprehensive support effect that traditional disc-shaped uterine supports cannot achieve, effectively restoring the normal position of the pelvic floor organs.

[0020] This invention achieves flexible adjustment while ensuring a secure lock after adjustment through a limiting mechanism. When the locking block is screwed into slot two, the relative positions of adjacent blocks are rigidly fixed, effectively preventing accidental contraction or elongation of the uterine pessary due to body movement during use, ensuring the reliability of treatment and patient safety. The elastic strip also provides tactile feedback and auxiliary positioning during adjustment, avoiding jamming and improving operational smoothness. Locking and unlocking can be achieved by moving the swing arm to control the synchronous rotation of all internal shafts, making operation intuitive and simple.

[0021] This invention uses flexible rings connecting each support block to fill the gaps between the blocks, preventing the edges of the blocks from directly contacting and rubbing against the delicate vaginal mucosa. This also provides a good seal, preventing secretions from seeping into the device and causing infection or odor. Secondly, the arc-shaped support on the inner wall, under the action of elastic elements, provides elastic support to the extended flexible rings, making them fit more gently against the vaginal wall and providing more even support. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. Wherein:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a bottom view of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the limiting mechanism structure according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the limiting mechanism structure according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the limiting mechanism of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a partial structural diagram of the arc-shaped support of the present invention.

[0030] In the diagram: 1. Uterine pessary body; 101. Top support; 102. Movable support; 103. Bottom support; 104. Flexible ring; 1041. Arc-shaped support; 1042. Elastic component; 2. Limiting handle; 3. Limiting mechanism; 301. Rotating shaft; 302. Fixed base; 303. Swing arm; 3031. Flexible band; 3032. Through hole; 3033. Pulling strap; 3034. Plum blossom column; 3035. Protrusion; 304. Limiting ring; 305. Slot 1; 306. Elastic strip; 307. Slot 2; 308. Locking block. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0033] Secondly, the term "one embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in different places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a single or selective embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments.

[0034] As attached Figure 1 , 2 3, 4 and appendix Figure 7 As shown:

[0035] Example 1: This example provides an adjustable uterine pessary, including: uterine pessary body 1, the uterine pessary body 1 is an inverted cone shape with a wider top and a narrower bottom, the uterine pessary body 1 is composed of several pessary blocks connected vertically, a flexible ring 104 is provided between the edges of adjacent pessary blocks, and a limit mechanism 3 is provided between adjacent pessary blocks within the flexible ring 104.

[0036] The limiting mechanism 3 includes a rotating shaft 301 mounted on a support block. A fixed seat 302 is mounted on adjacent support blocks on both sides of the rotating shaft 301. A second slot 307 is mounted on the fixed seat 302. Several locking blocks 308 are mounted on both sides of the rotating shaft 301. The locking blocks 308 are adapted to the second slot 307. A swing arm 303 is movably mounted on the bottom support block. A plum blossom column 3034 is telescopically mounted between adjacent rotating shafts 301. The swing arm 303 is connected to one of the plum blossom columns 3034.

[0037] The uterine support body 1 adopts an inverted cone shape that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, resembling the shape of a penis. It conforms to the anatomical curve of the vagina, reducing discomfort during use, while providing all-round support to lift up the prolapsed uterus and vaginal wall.

[0038] The support block is made of medical-grade polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or high-purity polyethylene, which has good biocompatibility, high strength, and is lightweight and non-allergenic.

[0039] The flexible ring 104 is made of medical-grade silicone rubber (Shore hardness 50-60HA), which is soft and resistant to aging, avoiding irritation to the vaginal mucosa.

[0040] The rotating shaft 301 and the plum blossom column 3034 form a nested inner and outer column structure. The rotating shaft 301 is the outer column and the plum blossom column 3034 is the inner column. The cross-section is plum blossom shaped. Specifically, the rotating shaft 301 has a plum blossom groove inside and the plum blossom column 3034 has a plum blossom protrusion outside. It can be axially extended and retracted to adapt to the change in the spacing of the support blocks when the uterine support is adjusted. It also transmits synchronous rotational force between adjacent rotating shafts 301, so that the rotating shafts 301 will not rotate relative to each other, ensuring that the user can centrally control it outside the uterine support.

[0041] In this embodiment, the support blocks include a top support 101, a movable support 102, and a bottom support 103 from top to bottom, realizing two-level adjustment of the uterine support (increasing or decreasing according to the condition of uterine prolapse).

[0042] The doctor first determines the degree of uterine prolapse (I / II / III) and pelvic depth (5-10cm) through a gynecological examination. Holding the limiting handle 2 on one side of the base support 103, the doctor places the uterine support body 1 on the sterile operating table and prepares to adjust the height.

[0043] During adjustment, first rotate the shaft 301 to displace the locking block 308 from the second locking slot 307, thus releasing the positional limitation between adjacent support blocks. Then, grasp the movable support 102 and pull the top support 101 to extend the relative position between the top support 101 and the movable support 102. Simultaneously, the relative position between the corresponding fixed seat 302 and the shaft 301 is adjusted. After adjustment, rotate the shaft 301 again to screw the locking block 308 into the second locking slot 307. The fixed seat 302 limits the vertical position of the locking block 308, thereby limiting the relative position between the shaft 301 and the fixed seat 302, and thus limiting the relative position between the top support 101 and the movable support 102. This completes the positional limitation after adjusting the length of the uterine support, thus completing the first-level adjustment. If the length does not meet the requirements, pull the bottom support 103 according to the above operation to achieve the second-level adjustment.

[0044] The device can be limited by rotating the pivot 301 outside the uterine support through the cooperation of the swing arm 303 and the plum blossom column 3034. The limiting mechanism 3 is hidden inside the uterine support and will not cause discomfort to the user.

[0045] Specifically, the inner diameter of the top edge of the support block is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the bottom edge of the support block above it.

[0046] Because the inner diameter of the top edge of the support block is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the bottom of the previous level, the inner diameter of the top edge of the movable support 102 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the top support 101. Combined with the fact that the uterine support body 1 adopts an inverted conical shape that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, when the top support 101 is pulled away from the movable support 102 to adjust the length of the uterine support, the oblique line of the surface of the top support 101 is exactly on the extension line of the oblique line of the surface of the movable support 102 after it is adjusted to the final position. The flexible ring 104 of the adjacent support block edges fits against the vaginal wall to avoid hard friction between the support blocks, and at the same time seals the gap between the support blocks to prevent secretions or foreign objects from entering the interior of the uterine support.

[0047] When the uterine support body 1 is at its minimum length, the flexible ring 104 is positioned so that the inner diameter of the top edge of the movable support 102 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the top support 101. This causes the top edge of the movable support 102 to be stuck inside the bottom edge of the top support 101, making the two ends of the flexible ring 104 too close together. This causes the body of the flexible ring to bulge outward, forming a flexible ring. This ring then covers the stepped structure formed at the junction of the edges of the movable support 102 and the top support 101, improving the user's comfort. After the top support 101 is pulled away from the movable support 102 to complete the length adjustment of the uterine support, the two ends of the flexible ring 104 move away from each other, thus stretching and unfolding the flexible ring 104 to fill the gap between the top support 101 and the movable support 102, ensuring the overall sealing of the device. The operation of the movable support 102 and the bottom support 103 is the same as described above.

[0048] Specifically, the top and bottom fixing seats 302 of the second card slot 307 are provided with elastic strips 306, and the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 301 at the top and bottom of the card block 308 is provided with the first card slot 305.

[0049] The correspondence between the elastic strip 306 and the first slot 305 is equivalent to the correspondence between the locking block 308 and the second slot 307. When the locking block 308 corresponds to the second slot 307, the elastic strip 306 also corresponds to the first slot 305. The locking block 308 is only provided on both sides of the rotating shaft 301, while the first slot 305 is provided around the outer surface of the rotating shaft 301. Thus, when the rotating shaft 301 is rotated, causing the locking block 308 to disengage from the second slot 307 and releasing the rigid restriction on the relative position of the adjacent support blocks, the elastic strip 306 remains locked in the first slot 305, maintaining a flexible restriction on the relative position of the adjacent support blocks. Therefore, if the person does not adjust the uterine support to the specified length at one time, the device will automatically release the support when the person relaxes. The self-limiting mechanism facilitates further adjustments. Secondly, when personnel apply pulling force to the top support 101 to move it away from the movable support 102, the elastic strip 306, after disengaging from the current slot 305, utilizes its own elasticity and the arc shape of its outer surface to generate a slanted pushing force on the rotating shaft 301, thereby guiding it into the next slot 305. This provides a guiding effect, ensuring that when adjustment stops, the slot 307 corresponds to a specific block 308. Rotating the rotating shaft 301 then limits the length of the uterine support, preventing misalignment that could cause jamming and reduce operational efficiency. The elastic strip 306 can be made of rubber or silicone. The operation of the movable support 102 and the bottom support 103 is the same as described above.

[0050] Specifically, the inner wall of the support block at the top of the flexible ring 104 is provided with several arc-shaped supports 1041, and an elastic element 1042 is provided between the arc-shaped supports 1041 and the support block. The outer surface of the arc-shaped supports 1041 is in contact with the inner wall of the next level support block.

[0051] The elastic element 1042 is made of elastic rubber strip. In its initial state, it is in an arc shape. One end is connected to the support block, such as the top support 101, and the other end is in contact with the front end of the arc support 1041. The tail end of the arc support 1041 is connected to the top support 101. The elastic element 1042 will use its own elastic extension force to apply an elastic thrust to the arc support 1041, pushing the arc support 1041 to shift outward, thereby providing elastic support for the extended flexible ring 104 part, ensuring the support force of this part for the vagina, and lifting the prolapsed uterus and vaginal wall.

[0052] Specifically, a limit handle 2 is provided on one side of the bottom of the bottom support block.

[0053] The limiting handle 2 is located on the bottom side of the bottom support block and is locked in the vaginal-rectal indentation to ensure stability.

[0054] Specifically, a limit ring 304 is provided on the periphery of the rotating shaft 301, and an movable groove is provided in the support block on the periphery of the limit ring 304.

[0055] The rotating shaft 301 can rotate within the movable groove via the limiting ring 304, and the position of the rotating shaft 301 is limited by the limiting ring 304 to prevent the rotating shaft 301 from detaching from the support block from above or below.

[0056] Specifically, the bottom support block is provided with at least two protrusions 3035, the front end of the swing arm 303 is provided with a flexible belt 3031, the flexible belt 3031 is provided with a through hole 3032, the through hole 3032 is adapted to the protrusions 3035, and the front end of the flexible belt 3031 is provided with a pull belt 3033.

[0057] The positions of the two protrusions 3035 correspond to two rotation angles of the rotating shaft 301, namely the engagement angle of the locking block 308 and the second locking groove 307, and the separation angle of the locking block 308 and the second locking groove 307. In actual use, the user rotates the rotating shaft 301 by moving the swing arm 303. When the swing arm 303 points to one of the protrusions 3035, it indicates that the angle adjustment is completed, which serves as an indicator. Then, the user pulls the flexible belt 3031. The flexible belt 3031 is made of medical elastic fiber belt with an elongation rate of ≥100%, so that its through hole 3032 is locked on the protrusion 3035. The protrusion 3035 is used to limit the position of the flexible belt 3031, thereby limiting the current orientation angle of the swing arm 303, ensuring stability, and preventing the rotating shaft 301 from rotating due to the movement of the swing arm 303 during normal use, which could lead to the device becoming loose.

[0058] The pull strap 3033 is tilted and raised on the flexible strip 3031, which makes it convenient for personnel to pinch the flexible strip 3031 through the pull strap 3033 to engage or disengage the through hole 3032 from the protrusion 3035.

[0059] As attached Figure 1 , 2 3, 5, 6 and appendix Figure 7 As shown:

[0060] Example 2: This example is basically the same as the previous example, except that the cross-sections of the top support 101 and the bottom support 103 are U-shaped and mirror images, respectively, and the cross-section of the movable support 102 is H-shaped.

[0061] In this embodiment, multiple movable supports 102 can be provided. The center of the rotating shaft 301 is movably connected to the movable support 102. Both ends of the rotating shaft 301 pass through the movable support 102. Each end of the rotating shaft 301 at both ends of the movable support 102 is provided with a locking block 308 and a locking groove 305. It can be connected to the upper and lower level movable supports 102 at the same time, or connected to the top support 101 and the bottom support 103 at the same time. It is suitable for uterine supports with an odd number of support blocks. It can be connected to the upper and lower level support blocks at the same time, reducing the amount of parts used in the rotating shaft 301.

[0062] A plum blossom column 3034 is telescopically installed between the upper and lower rotating shafts 301. When the user moves the swing arm 303, all rotating shafts 301 can be rotated simultaneously. The plum blossom column 3034 can make the rotating shafts 301 rotate synchronously without affecting their movement along the axis.

[0063] It should be understood that numerous specific implementation decisions can be made during the development of any practical implementation, such as in any engineering or design project. Such development efforts may be complex and time-consuming, but for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure, the development effort will be a routine work of design, manufacturing, and production without requiring much experimentation.

[0064] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adjustable uterine pessary, characterized in that, include: The uterine support body (1) is an inverted cone shape that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. The uterine support body (1) is composed of several support blocks connected vertically. A flexible ring (104) is provided between the edges of adjacent support blocks. A limiting mechanism (3) is provided between adjacent support blocks within the flexible ring (104). The limiting mechanism (3) includes a rotating shaft (301) disposed on the support block. A fixed seat (302) is disposed on the adjacent support block on both sides of the rotating shaft (301). A slot (307) is disposed on the fixed seat (302). A plurality of locking blocks (308) are disposed on both sides of the rotating shaft (301). The locking blocks (308) are adapted to the slots (307). A swing arm (303) is movably disposed on the bottom support block. A plum blossom column (3034) is telescopically disposed between adjacent rotating shafts (301). The swing arm (303) is connected to one of the plum blossom columns (3034).

2. The adjustable uterine pessary according to claim 1, characterized in that, Elastic strips (306) are provided on the fixed bases (302) at the top and bottom of the second slot (307), and the first slot (305) is provided on the periphery of the rotating shaft (301) at the top and bottom of the card block (308).

3. An adjustable uterine pessary according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the support block at the top of the flexible ring (104) is provided with several arc-shaped supports (1041), and an elastic element (1042) is provided between the arc-shaped supports (1041) and the support block. The outer surface of the arc-shaped supports (1041) is in contact with the inner wall of the next level support block.

4. An adjustable uterine pessary according to claim 1, characterized in that, A limit handle (2) is provided on one side of the bottom of the bottom support block.

5. An adjustable uterine pessary according to claim 1, characterized in that, A limiting ring (304) is provided around the rotating shaft (301), and a movable groove is provided in the support block around the limiting ring (304).

6. An adjustable uterine pessary according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom support block is provided with at least two protrusions (3035), the front end of the swing arm (303) is provided with a flexible belt (3031), the flexible belt (3031) is provided with a through hole (3032), the through hole (3032) is adapted to the protrusions (3035), and the front end of the flexible belt (3031) is provided with a pull strap (3033).

7. An adjustable uterine pessary according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner diameter of the top edge of the support block is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the bottom edge of the support block above it.

8. An adjustable uterine pessary according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned support blocks include, from top to bottom, a top support (101), a movable support (102), and a bottom support (103).

9. An adjustable uterine pessary according to claim 7, characterized in that, The cross-sections of the top support (101) and the bottom support (103) are U-shaped and mirror images of each other, and the cross-section of the movable support (102) is H-shaped.

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