Neuromodulation Surgical Tool for Prostate Growth Regulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
As men age, there is an increase in pathologic diseases affecting the genitourinary tract, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer, and chronic prostatitis, which are associated with age-related changes in the nervous system and neuroregulatory factors, leading to maladaptive sympathetic activation and progression of disease states, with current treatments having limitations in effectively managing these conditions.
Innovation Solution
Development of systems and methods for monitoring and treating surgical sites, organs, and tissues using surgical tools equipped with sensing, imaging, and energy delivery elements to modulate electrophysiological activity, alter nerve function, and regulate autonomic and sympathetic traffic, allowing for targeted treatment of conditions like BPH and prostate cancer through neuromodulation and ablation techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current pharmacologic interventions are used to treat LUTS, then treatment coverage is provided, but effectiveness in managing disease progression is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces pharmacologic chemical interventions with neuromodulation technology that uses electrical energy to modulate nervous system activity. The implantable neuromodulator device delivers electrical stimuli to specific nerves or nerve plexuses to regulate organ function and growth, substituting chemical pharmacology with electrical neuromodulation to achieve more effective disease management
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the therapeutic parameter from chemical drug delivery to electrical stimulation parameters. The neuromodulator device allows adjustment of stimulation amplitude, pulse width, frequency, and duty cycle to optimize treatment effectiveness for different disease states and progression stages, providing adaptable parameter control that pharmacologic interventions cannot achieve
2Measurement precision
If surgical tools are used for monitoring and treatment, then precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated surgical tool platform. The system integrates sensing elements for electrophysiological monitoring, imaging elements for visualization, energy delivery elements for neuromodulation or ablation, and chemical delivery elements for targeted drug administration. This merging allows precise monitoring and treatment while managing device complexity through functional integration
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical tool is designed with universal multi-functionality to perform diverse therapeutic and diagnostic tasks. A single device can switch between monitoring electrophysiological activity, delivering electrical stimulation, performing ablation, and administering chemicals, eliminating the need for multiple separate devices and reducing overall system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlled neuromodulation procedures is disclosed. A system for controlled micro ablation procedures is disclosed. Systems and methods for imaging, monitoring, stimulating, and/or ablating neurological structures coupled to one or more organs of the lower urinary tract (LUT) are disclosed. Such processes may be used to alter the hormonal secretions from one or more organs, to modulate the growth of an organ, alter the growth rate or rate of perineural invasion of a tumor, or the like. In particular such processes may be used to slow, halt and/or reverse the growth of a prostate gland or a prostate tumor.