54 results about "Artificial sphincters" patented technology

Implantable medical grafts fabricated of metallic or pseudometallic films of biocompatible materials having a plurality of microperforations passing through the film in a pattern that imparts fabric-like qualities to the graft or permits the geometric deformation of the graft. The implantable graft is preferably fabricated by vacuum deposition of metallic and/or pseudometallic materials into either single or multi-layered structures with the plurality of microperforations either being formed during deposition or after deposition by selective removal of sections of the deposited film. The implantable medical grafts are suitable for use as endoluminal or surgical grafts and may be used as vascular grafts, stent-grafts, skin grafts, shunts, bone grafts, surgical patches, non-vascular conduits, valvular leaflets, filters, occlusion membranes, artificial sphincters, tendons and ligaments.

An implantable artificial sphincter system provides long-term adjustment via transcutaneous energy transfer (TET), minimizing invasive adjustment through adding or removing fluid via a syringe. An infuser device provides bi-directional fluid transfer via a flexible conduit to a sphincter band, such as a gastric band, by a combination of thermodynamic actuation and a piezo-electrically disengaged drum brake assembly that thereby achieves a desirable small volume device. A propellant within a propellant cavity surrounds a metal bellows accumulator biased at body temperature to either expand or collapse the bellows accumulator with the opposite direction of movement effected by a thermal element that heats in combination with a negatively-biased propellant or cools in combination with a positively-biased propellant. A drum brake assembly locks the metal bellows accumulator in place between adjustments by thermodynamic actuation by activating piezo-electric stack actuators that disengage calipers from a brake drum attached to the bellows accumulator.

This invention provides an artificial sphincter including a component coated on at least one contacting surface with a polymeric material, the polymeric coating adapted to expand and return to an original configuration and to prevent or inhibit wear or abrasion of the contacting surface. The polymeric material is parylene in some embodiments. The component adapted for inflation and deflation may be a cuff formed from silicon and adapted to surround a urethra or a rectum. Also provided by the present invention is a method of depositing a coating to a surface of an inflatable component by providing a vacuum chamber system having an inner chamber positioned within an outer chamber. At least one coating material is introduced into at least one of the inner and outer chambers to deposit a coating onto an exposed surface of the component. This invention also provides methods of masking portions of surfaces of an inflatable component to prevent a coating from being deposited on the masked portion.

An implantable device, such as an infuser device for bidirectional hydraulically controlling a medical artificial sphincter, enhances power transfer characteristics to a secondary coil thereby allowing implantation to greater physical depths and/or enclosing the secondary coil within a housing of the infuser device. The enhanced power transfer is achieved with multiple coils that are longitudinally aligned and physical and electrical parallel to form the secondary loop of a transcutaneous energy transfer system (TET) instead of a single coil. It better optimizes the power transfer from a parallel tuned tank circuit primary coil to an implanted secondary series tuned tank circuit coil.

Implantable medical grafts fabricated of metallic or pseudometallic films of biocompatible materials having a plurality of microperforations passing through the film in a pattern that imparts fabric-like qualities to the graft or permits the geometric deformation of the graft. The implantable graft is preferably fabricated by vacuum deposition of metallic and/or pseudometallic materials into either single or multi-layered structures with the plurality of microperforations either being formed during deposition or after deposition by selective removal of sections of the deposited film. The implantable medical grafts are suitable for use as endoluminal or surgical grafts and may be used as vascular grafts, stent-grafts, skin grafts, shunts, bone grafts, surgical patches, non-vascular conduits, valvular leaflets, filters, occlusion membranes, artificial sphincters, tendons and ligaments.

Provided are artificial muscle patches, which are adapted to be implanted adjacent a patient's heart, and artificial sphincter cuffs, which are adapted to be implanted around a body lumen, such as the urethra, the anal canal, or the lower esophagus. The devices of the present invention comprise: (a) one or more electroactive polymer actuators; and (b) a control unit for electrically controlling the one or more electroactive polymer actuators to expand or contract the devices.

A feedback controlled artificial sphincter system for anus is composed of an internal unit consisting of wireless communication module, the artificial sphincter which comprises pressure sensing bag, miniature pressure sensor, clamping bag, clamping pressure sensor and liquid bag, the artificial sphincter controller which comprises the regulating circuits for said sensors, miniature hydraulic pump and its driver, and single-chip microprocessor, and the power module, and an external unit consisting of wireless transmitting coil on skin, harmonic oscillator, wireless communication module, and single-chip microprocessor system.

The present invention relates to a micro-valve which is formed from two firmly connected substrates and preferably has an actuator element, for example that is diaphragm-driven, for the controlled opening and closing of a first and/or second passage. The invention further relates to a method for producing such a micro-valve and to a micro-pump which uses at least one such micro-valve. Said micro-pump is intended to be used in particular in conjunction with the development of an artificial sphincter. The micro-valve has a first substrate and a second substrate which are non-detachably joined to each other in order to form a controllable fluid flow section, and at least one first passage and at least one second passage. According to the invention, the micro-valve has at least one elastically deformable seal structure which, for example, can be formed by a photostructurable silicone, to seal off the first and/or second passage.

The invention relates to a magnetic-ring artificial sphincter, namely an annular structural device based on magnetic bodies. The magnetic-ring artificial sphincter is formed by connecting a plurality of magnetic bodies in series through connection materials. Expansion and shrinkage with reversibility can be achieved through the magnetic force absorption effect of the magnetic bodies and sliding and flexible characteristics of the connection materials. The magnetic-ring artificial sphincter is embedded around cavity pipelines in the bodies, can simulate functions of a normal human sphincter, can enhance or rebuild the sphincter functions of organs reducing in or losing sphincter force, controls normal flow direction of contents of hollow organs, and can substitute or rebuild sphincter tissues at positions of esophagus, cardia, pylorus, ileocecus, anal canals, bladders, positions around urethral canals, alimentary canals and urinary tract stomas and the like. The magnetic-ring artificial sphincter is convenient in operation, few in manufacture process, reliable in function and wide in application prospect in the field of biomedicine.

Active tissue augmenting agents, compositions and methods for use are disclosed. In a typical embodiment, the active augmenting agents of the invention can be used to form an artificial sphincter around a lumen of a human or animal body. In one embodiment, the active augmenting agent comprises magnitizable particles which can provide occlusion of a lumen, such as the urethral lumen, by circumferential attraction of the injected material toward the center of the lumen by the inherent magnetic flux field created from the magnetic dipoles of the magnetic particles.

Implantable medical grafts fabricated of metallic or pseudometallic films of biocompatible materials having a plurality of microperforations passing through the film in a pattern that imparts fabric-like qualities to the graft or permits the geometric deformation of the graft. The implantable graft is preferably fabricated by vacuum deposition of metallic and/or pseudometallic materials into either single or multi-layered structures with the plurality of microperforations either being formed during deposition or after deposition by selective removal of sections of the deposited film. The implantable medical grafts are suitable for use as endoluminal or surgical grafts and may be used as vascular grafts, stent-grafts, skin grafts, shunts, bone grafts, surgical patches, non-vascular conduits, valvular leaflets, filters, occlusion membranes, artificial sphincters, tendons and ligaments.