Lateral Implants for Urethral Support via Endopelvic Fascia Tensioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for urinary and fecal incontinence are often invasive, associated with complications, and do not effectively reduce pain, operative risks, infections, and post-operative hospital stays, while also limiting the quality of life for patients.
Innovation Solution
The use of lateral implants to reinforce the supportive tissue of the urethra by engaging and pulling the endopelvic fascia to tighten and provide slack reduction, eliminating the need for mesh or other supportive structures under the urethra, with anchoring mechanisms to stabilize the implants and promote tissue ingrowth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional sling procedures with mesh or supportive structures under the urethra are used, then urinary incontinence can be treated, but the complexity of the procedure increases and invasiveness increases leading to more complications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the mesh or supportive structure component from under the urethra, extracting only the essential anchoring function. The implant consists of anchors at each end with the extension portion passing through tissue without requiring additional mesh reinforcement, thereby simplifying the device while maintaining treatment effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is divided into distinct functional segments: a first anchor, an extension portion, and a second anchor. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently - anchoring at tissue sites and providing the necessary support structure without requiring a continuous mesh under the urethra.
2Reliability
If conventional sling procedures with mesh or supportive structures under the urethra are used, then urinary incontinence can be treated, but invasiveness increases leading to more side effects and longer hospital stays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the mesh or supportive structure that causes additional trauma and complications. By extracting this component and relying solely on the anchors and extension portion, the procedure becomes less invasive with reduced risk of infection, erosion, and other mesh-related complications.
3Stability of the object's composition
If anchors are provided at each end of the extension portion to be anchored within tissue, then the implant can be stabilized, but the anchoring process increases procedure complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The anchors are designed to be self-anchoring within the tissue, utilizing the tissue structure itself to secure the implant. This self-service anchoring mechanism reduces the need for complex additional fixation procedures while ensuring stable implant positioning through the natural tissue architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods are provided for treating urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and other pelvic defects or dysfunctions, in both males and females, using one or more lateral implants to reinforce the supportive tissue of the urethra. The implants are configured to engage and pull (e.g., pull up) pelvic tissue to cause the lateral sub-urethral tissue, such as the endopelvic fascia, to tighten and provide slack reduction for improved support. As such, certain embodiments of the implants can be utilized to eliminate the need for mesh or other supportive structures under the urethra that is common with other incontinence slings.