Ureteral Stent Proximal Flexibility Gradient
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Solution Overview
Problem
Urological disorders such as calculus, tumors, or obstructions at the pyeloureteral junction can prevent urine from flowing from the kidneys to the bladder, leading to dilation and nephritic colic, and existing stents may cause discomfort and reflux.
Innovation Solution
A ureteral stent with a body and tail, where the body has a renal area for the kidney and a ureteral area for the ureter, and a proximal area with greater flexibility than the ureteral area, featuring a thread that extends into the bladder to prevent reflux and facilitate easy withdrawal, ensuring minimal irritation and optimal urine flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a stent is placed in the ureter to maintain urine flow, then urine evacuation is restored, but the stent may cause irritation and discomfort to the patient
Solution Approach 1:
The stent is designed with different flexibility characteristics in different segments: the proximal area has greater flexibility than the ureteral area. This local differentiation allows the proximal area to conform to bladder movements and reduce irritation, while the ureteral area maintains sufficient rigidity to prevent reflux and ensure urine flow, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining function and reducing irritation.
2Reliability
If a stent is placed to prevent urine reflux, then urine flow direction is controlled, but peristaltic movements may be interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The stent utilizes a flexibility parameter gradient along its length, with the proximal area having greater flexibility than the ureteral area. This parameter change allows the stent to adapt to peristaltic movements in the flexible proximal region while maintaining structural integrity for reflux prevention in the ureteral region, thus resolving the contradiction between reflux prevention and peristalsis preservation.
3Ease of operation
If a stent is designed with a tail for easy withdrawal, then removal is facilitated, but the tail may cause additional irritation in the bladder
Solution Approach 1:
The tail is constructed as a flexible, thin structure that can be easily manipulated for withdrawal while conforming to bladder anatomy during normal function. This flexible design minimizes irritation during the indwelling period while maintaining ease of removal when needed, resolving the contradiction between ease of withdrawal and irritation reduction.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~11
Figure 12~16
AI summary
The present invention relates to a ureteral stent (10) having a body (11) and a tail (12). The body (11) of the stent has a renal area (13) intended to be placed in a kidney (R) of a patient, a ureteral area (14) intended to be placed in at least part of a ureter of said patient, and a proximal area (15) arranged at a proximal end of the body of the stent. The tail (12) has at least one thread (16) intended to end in the bladder (V) of said patient. This stent is characterized in that said proximal area (15) has a flexibility greater than the flexibility of the ureteral area (14) of the stent. Moreover, the tail (12) is rigidly connected to said ureteral area and/or said proximal area (15) and extends beyond the proximal area (15).