Artificial Sphincter With Batteryless Magnetic Cuff Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for an artificial urinary sphincter that is simple, inexpensive, and ergonomic with minimal patient discomfort and risk of malfunction in long-term use, as existing treatments for urinary incontinence are often ineffective or inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
An implantable device with a cuff, actuator, and induction coil that adjusts fluid flow through a bodily lumen using transcutaneous magnetic induction, powered by an external inducer, and includes a fail-safe mechanism to transition between deployed and undeployed states without a battery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional artificial urinary sphincters use battery-powered motors, then actuation control is precise, but device complexity and risk of malfunction increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the battery-powered motor system with a magnetic actuation system. External magnets interact with internal magnetic components to rotate the drive shaft, which in turn rotates the pulley to tighten or loosen the cuff. This substitution eliminates the battery and motor, reducing device complexity while maintaining actuation control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces magnetic fields as an intermediary between the external control mechanism and the internal actuation system. External magnets serve as the intermediary that transmits rotational force through the body wall to rotate the drive shaft, enabling wireless control without direct mechanical connection inside the body.
2Extent of automation
If traditional artificial urinary sphincters use battery-powered motors, then automated control is achieved, but reliability decreases due to battery failure risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the battery-powered motor system that prone to failure and replaces it with a passive magnetic actuation system. The external magnets provide continuous rotational force without electrical components, removing the risk of battery depletion or motor failure while maintaining automated control capability through external magnetic field application.
3Reliability
If the cuff remains in deployed state continuously, then urinary incontinence is controlled, but patient comfort decreases due to constant pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic cuff system that can transition between deployed and undeployed states based on urinary need. The magnetic actuation mechanism allows the cuff to be tightened when incontinence occurs and loosened when normal urination is required, providing adaptive control that maintains reliability while reducing patient discomfort through state changes.
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 device provides effective control over urinary incontinence with minimal discomfort and risk of malfunction, allowing patients to manage urine flow through magnetic induction and a fail-safe mechanism, ensuring safe and reliable operation.
Implementation Method 1
an induction coil configured to generate an induced current in response to a transcutaneous magnetic induction
Data Source
AI summary
An implantable device for adjusting fluid flow through a bodily lumen, comprises a cuff configured to be positioned around the lumen; an actuator; a connection part connecting the cuff and the actuator; and an induction coil configured to generate an induced current in response to a transcutaneous magnetic induction, wherein the actuator is configured to operate the cuff by transitioning the cuff between a deployed state and an undeployed state in response to the induced current. In some embodiments, the device further comprises an alternative actuation mechanism that includes a magnet assembly configured to rotate and cause the transition of the cuff between the deployed state and the undeployed state. Further, in some embodiments, the transcutaneous magnetic induction is generated by an external inducer configured to induce a temporally varying magnetic flux in the coil to generate the induced current.