Anchor Assembly for Prostatic Tissue Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and sexual dysfunction often impair sexual function and have unclear effects on lower urinary tract symptoms, with a need for minimally invasive methods that can effectively manipulate and compress prostatic and urinary tract tissues to improve both urinary and sexual functions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method involving an anchor assembly delivery device that compresses and repositions prostatic and urinary tract tissues using an anchor assembly, which includes a needle actuator, suture spool, and locking mechanisms to securely implant anchors within the body, thereby improving urinary flow and sexual function by retracting encroaching prostate lobes and reducing Rho-kinase activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If surgical treatments such as TURP are used to treat BPH and LUTS, then urinary flow is improved, but sexual function is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment divides the prostate into multiple zones (transition zone and peripheral zone) and applies different treatment strategies to each. The anchor assembly selectively compresses and retracts specific prostatic lobes causing urinary obstruction while preserving other functional prostatic tissue, thereby improving urinary flow without impairing sexual function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies localized compression and retraction forces to specific prostatic lobes through the anchor assembly positioned at the bladder neck. This localized approach treats only the obstructing tissue while leaving the rest of the prostate gland intact, maintaining sexual function while improving urinary flow.
2Productivity
If conventional surgical treatments are used for BPH, then urinary symptoms are improved, but the effects on sexual function remain unclear or negative
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor assembly is positioned and secured at the bladder neck before the prostatic lobes are compressed and retracted. This preliminary anchoring provides a stable reference point that allows precise control of the compression forces applied to the prostate, ensuring reliable treatment of urinary symptoms while preserving sexual function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensory feedback through the autonomic nervous system to monitor the effects of tissue compression. This feedback mechanism allows real-time adjustment of the compression forces to achieve the desired urinary flow improvement while avoiding excessive compression that would impair sexual function.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive methods are used to manipulate prostatic tissues, then sexual function is preserved, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor assembly is delivered through a needle that is itself delivered through a cystoscope. The anchor comprises nested components (first and second anchor portions connected by a connector) that can be independently positioned and secured. This nested delivery system achieves minimally invasive tissue manipulation while managing device complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle serves as an intermediary tool to deliver the anchor assembly through the prostatic tissue. The suture spool and locking mechanisms serve as intermediaries to secure the anchor in place. These intermediary components simplify the overall procedure by breaking down the complex task of deep tissue manipulation into manageable steps.
4Productivity
If prostatic lobes are compressed and repositioned, then urinary flow improves, but the manipulation of deep anatomical structures increases procedural difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor assembly operates in multiple spatial dimensions simultaneously - the first anchor portion is positioned in the bladder neck while the second anchor portion extends into the prostatic lobes. This multi-dimensional positioning allows compression forces to be applied from multiple directions, improving urinary flow while reducing the difficulty of accessing and manipulating deep prostatic structures through the urethra.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and associated method for manipulating tissues and anatomical or other structures in medical applications for the purpose of treating sexual dysfunction. In one aspect, the system includes a delivery device configured to deploy and implant anchor devices for such purposes.