Disposable Urethral Plug Using Absorbent Expansion for Incontinence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and upper urinary tract urothelial cancers are either ineffective, uncomfortable, costly, or involve significant side effects, and there is a need for discreet, comfortable, and environmentally friendly devices that can absorb urine without causing tissue abrasion or requiring complex placement procedures.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical device made of absorbent materials that expands upon contact with urine, featuring a string for easy removal, is designed for insertion into the urethra or ureters, composed of desiccated cotton, chitosan, and superabsorbent polymers, optionally with hydrophilic anesthetic jelly or bioactive agents, and is biodegradable or recyclable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional urethral plugs with balloons are used to anchor the device, then the device can be held in place, but bladder trigone irritation and pain occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the balloon anchoring mechanism from the urethral plug design. Instead of using a balloon that inflates in the bladder neck, the invention uses a simple absorbent cylindrical body that expands in place within the urethra, eliminating the source of bladder trigone irritation and pain while maintaining device retention through absorption-based expansion
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable absorbent cylindrical body made from biodegradable materials such as desiccated cotton, chitosan, or superabsorbent polymers. The device is designed for single-use, eliminating the need for complex anchoring mechanisms and reducing patient discomfort while maintaining effective urine absorption and blockage functions
2Productivity
If indwelling catheters are placed to collect urine, then urine can be drained, but discomfort and cumulative urinary tract infections occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a disposable absorbent cylindrical body that absorbs and contains urine internally rather than requiring an indwelling catheter for continuous drainage. This eliminates the prolonged foreign body presence in the urethra that causes discomfort and infection risk, while still achieving effective urine collection and management through the absorbent material's capacity to hold urine volume
3Ease of operation
If penile clamps are used to manage incontinence, then urine flow can be controlled, but the device becomes uncomfortable with poor patient compliance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the external clamping mechanism from the urethral management approach. Instead of using a rigid external clamp that compresses the urethra from the outside, the invention places an absorbent cylindrical body directly inside the urethra that expands to fill and block the passage, eliminating external pressure points and discomfort while maintaining effective urine flow control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs porous absorbent materials such as desiccated cotton, chitosan, or superabsorbent polymers in the cylindrical body. These materials expand upon contact with urine to create an effective blockage while maintaining a soft, conformable structure that reduces discomfort compared to rigid external clamps, improving patient compliance
4Adaptability or versatility
If reusable hydrophilic hydrogel plugs are used, then the device can be disinfected and reused, but the device becomes cumbersome for patient placement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a disposable design using an absorbent cylindrical body made from biodegradable materials. The device is designed for single-use placement by patients without requiring complex activation mechanisms or disinfection procedures. The simplicity of the disposable design enhances ease of patient placement while eliminating reusability concerns
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 device provides effective urine absorption, comfort during use, ease of placement and removal, and potential therapeutic benefits for erectile dysfunction and cancer treatment, while being cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
Implementation Method 1
a cylindrical body about 4-8 mm or 8-30 French scale ('Fr') in diameter by about 3-5 cm in length... comprised of absorbent material that expands upon contact with urine or bodily fluid
Implementation Method 2
comprised of desiccated cotton, chitosan, and superabsorbent polymers
Implementation Method 3
optionally with hydrophilic anesthetic jelly or bioactive agents
Data Source
AI summary
A disposable device for absorbing urine and/or bodily fluids in the urethra having a cylindrical body having a top and bottom end. The body is made of absorbent material that expands upon contact with urine and bodily fluids and includes a string connected to the bottom end of the body for removing the device from the urethra. The device can include a vasodilator in or on a surface of the body and can be used to treat urinary incontinence and/or erectile dysfunction by inserting into the urethra and removing the device after it has been impregnated with fluid. The device can be included in a kit with a plunger for insertion.