Compactable Vaginal Pessary with Expandable Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vaginal pessaries are difficult for patients to insert and remove, especially older women, leading to complications such as irritation, erosion, and malodorous discharge due to their design requiring manual squeezing or bending, which is painful and often results in discontinuation or consideration of surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A compactable vaginal pessary with an expandable and collapsible frame member that can be easily inserted and removed by the patient, featuring a protective cover and means for expanding, retaining, and collapsing, allowing daily or as-needed use, and available in various embodiments including cone-shaped and yieldably extensible designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional vaginal pessaries are designed to remain firmly anchored in the vaginal cavity during movement, then they effectively support pelvic organs, but they become difficult for patients to insert and remove, especially older women
Solution Approach 1:
The pessary incorporates a dynamic structure that transitions between a compressed low-profile state for insertion and an expanded anchored state for support. The frame member can be compressed to a small size for easy insertion into the vagina, then expanded within the vaginal cavity to provide firm anchoring and organ support during movement such as coughing, sneezing, or exercise.
2Loss of time
If pessaries are left in place for extended periods to reduce medical visits, then patient convenience improves, but complications such as irritation, erosion, and malodorous discharge increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pessary is designed to enable patients to perform daily insertion and removal themselves without requiring medical professional assistance. The easy insertion and removal features allow patients to remove the device for cleaning and hygiene maintenance, then reinsert it, thereby preventing complications while eliminating the need for frequent office visits for device management.
3Device complexity
If manual squeezing or bending is required to insert traditional pessaries, then the device structure remains simple, but patient comfort deteriorates and discontinuation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pessary employs a dynamic compression mechanism that allows the frame member to be collapsed to a low profile for comfortable insertion without requiring manual squeezing or bending by the patient. The device maintains structural integrity while in the compressed state and automatically expands to its functional shape once positioned in the vaginal cavity, eliminating painful manual manipulation.
Data Source
AI summary
A compactable vaginal pessary for managing pelvic organ prolapse is provided. The compactable pessary easily expands once inside a patient's vagina, remaining firmly anchored in the vaginal cavity during movement, thereby effectively countering the effects of any prolapsing organ. In a first embodiment, the vaginal pessary employs an expandable and collapsible frame member, while in a second embodiment; the frame member is an open, substantially cone-shaped, collapsible frame member that is biased to an open position. In a third embodiment, the compactable vaginal pessary is a yieldably extensible, self-retracting pessary. The vaginal pessary of the present invention may be easily inserted and removed by a patient on a daily basis, or as needed, thereby facilitating good hygiene and thus reducing or eliminating common pessary related complications.