Prostatic Urethral Stent Extension for Bladder Neck Obstruction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing treatments for prostate enlargement, particularly when both lateral and median lobes enlarge, fail to effectively relieve Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and Prostatic Bladder Neck Obstruction (BNO) by merely expanding the prostatic urethra, as they do not address the suction-induced obstruction at the bladder neck.
Innovation Solution
A stent device with an elongated shape, including a prostatic urethra portion and a bladder neck portion, featuring pressure wires that apply radial force to maintain the urethra open and the internal urethral sphincter unobstructed, and optionally an anchoring wire to prevent the median lobe from obstructing the bladder neck.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If existing treatments merely expand the prostatic urethra, then the prostatic urethra is enlarged, but the suction-induced obstruction at the bladder neck is not addressed
Solution Approach 1:
The stent device is divided into two distinct portions: a prostatic urethra portion and a bladder neck portion. Each portion is designed to address specific anatomical requirements - the prostatic urethra portion expands the urethra to relieve BPH, while the bladder neck portion maintains the internal urethral sphincter open to prevent suction-induced obstruction. This segmentation allows simultaneous treatment of both conditions without compromising either function.
2Reliability
If a stent device is designed to maintain the internal urethral sphincter unobstructed, then bladder neck obstruction is relieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stent device merges the functions of prostatic urethra expansion and bladder neck maintenance into a single integrated structure. The prostatic urethra portion and bladder neck portion are connected as one continuous device that can be implanted simultaneously, addressing both BPH and bladder neck obstruction with a single intervention rather than requiring separate procedures or devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent device performs multiple functions within a single structure: it expands the prostatic urethra to relieve BPH, maintains the internal urethral sphincter open to prevent suction-induced obstruction, and provides structural support to both anatomical regions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate treatments and simplifies the overall therapeutic approach.
3Reliability
If the stent device is made elongated to include both prostatic urethra and bladder neck portions, then both areas are treated effectively, but the ease of insertion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The stent device incorporates dynamic characteristics that allow it to transition between a compressed delivery configuration and an expanded functional configuration. During insertion, the device is compressed to fit through the urethra, and once positioned, it expands to its functional shape to provide support to both the prostatic urethra and bladder neck. This dynamic transformation facilitates easy insertion while maintaining comprehensive treatment coverage.
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 stent device effectively relieves BPH and BNO by maintaining the prostatic urethra unconstricted and the bladder neck open, preventing migration, and optionally anchoring the median lobe to prevent suction-induced obstruction.
Implementation Method 1
The stent includes at least one pressure wire which applies a radial force on the surrounding tissues of the inner wall of the prostatic urethra
Implementation Method 2
the internal urethral sphincter also prevents the flow of semen into the bladder when males ejaculate and semen enters the prostatic urethra through the ejaculator ducts
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A~2D
AI summary
It is an object of the disclosed technique to provide methods and systems for a stent device, such as a prostatic urethral implant, for treating prostate enlargement and a constriction of the prostatic urethra while also maintaining the bladder neck and internal urethral sphincter unobstructed.