Acoustic Wave Therapy for Urinary Dysfunction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for urinary dysfunction in men and women are often invasive, require trained medical personnel, and have significant side effects or limited efficacy, necessitating a safe, non-invasive, and effective alternative.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a wave front generator with a transducer placed on the perineum to generate low-frequency vibrations directed towards the pelvic floor for an extended period, which can be used daily, to treat urinary dysfunction symptoms such as nocturia, frequency, and stress incontinence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surgery is performed to treat LUTS, then obstructive portions of prostate tissue are removed, but risks of incontinence, altered sexual function, bleeding, and re-operation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical surgical intervention with acoustic wave therapy. Low-frequency acoustic waves (0.5-10 Hz) are transmitted through the perineum to the pelvic floor and prostate, providing therapeutic effects without physical incision or tissue removal, thereby eliminating surgical side effects while treating LUTS
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses acoustic waves as an intermediary medium to transmit therapeutic energy from the transducer through the perineum to the target tissues (pelvic floor and prostate). This intermediary approach allows treatment without direct contact or mechanical intervention in the surgical field, reducing harm to surrounding structures
2Reliability
If medications are used to treat LUTS, then alpha-adrenergic blockers and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors are administered, but syncope, reduced blood pressure, reduced ejaculatory volume, decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and anorgasmia occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical medication with physical acoustic wave therapy. The low-frequency acoustic waves directly stimulate the pelvic floor muscles and prostate tissue, achieving therapeutic effects through mechanical vibration rather than chemical intervention, thereby avoiding all medication-related side effects
Solution Approach 2:
The acoustic wave therapy stimulates the body's own physiological mechanisms to treat LUTS. The vibrations activate pelvic floor muscles and promote natural prostate tissue relaxation and blood flow, allowing the body to self-regulate urinary function without external chemical substances that cause systemic side effects
3Reliability
If pelvic floor physiotherapy is recommended, then pelvic floor muscle training is performed, but compliance is generally poor and efficacy is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual pelvic floor exercises with automated acoustic wave delivery. The transducer delivers consistent low-frequency vibrations through the perineum, eliminating the need for patient effort and understanding of proper exercise technique, thereby ensuring high compliance while maintaining or improving efficacy
Solution Approach 2:
The acoustic waves serve as an intermediary that delivers therapeutic mechanical stimulation without requiring patient participation in exercise execution. The waves automatically penetrate and stimulate the pelvic floor muscles, bypassing the compliance barrier associated with voluntary exercise while achieving the desired therapeutic effect
4Reliability
If sacral neuromodulation is performed, then a device is implanted to transmit vibratory signals to the sacral nerve, but relief is only provided during periods when the vibratory signal is applied
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic low-frequency acoustic wave transmission through the perineum. The waves are delivered in sessions that stimulate pelvic floor relaxation and improve urinary function, with effects that accumulate and persist between sessions, providing both immediate and long-lasting relief
Solution Approach 2:
The acoustic wave therapy performs preliminary relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles and reduction of prostate congestion before symptoms manifest. By treating the underlying tissue tension and inflammation proactively, the therapy extends the duration of symptom-free periods beyond the actual treatment sessions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The treatment provides gradual relief of urinary dysfunction symptoms, as measured by the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), with significant improvements in quality of life, such as reduced nocturia and improved sleep, without the need for medical intervention.
Implementation Method 1
A method involving a wave front generator with a transducer placed on the perineum to generate low-frequency vibrations directed towards the pelvic floor
Data Source
AI summary
A process to treating urinary dysfunction in humans, male or female, comprises the steps of: (a) placing a wave front generator capable of generating a wave front to and through the perineum; (b) generating a wave front directed towards and into the pelvic floor and applying said wave front for a suitable period of time; and (c) repeating steps a and b for a suitable number of consecutive days.