Elastic Vaginal Device Urethral Support Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vaginal devices for urinary stress incontinence lack secure fixation within the vagina, leading to ineffective support during movement or increased pressure events like sneezing, and can be uncomfortable or harmful due to their design.
Innovation Solution
A vaginal device made of elastic material with a longitudinal portion and a reference member that fixes against the vaginal introitus, featuring a supporting portion that protrudes to support the urethra at the maximal urethral pressure point, ensuring secure placement and comfortable use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing vaginal devices are used for urinary stress incontinence, then they provide some support to the urethra, but they lack secure fixation within the vagina leading to ineffective support during movement or increased pressure events
Solution Approach 1:
The vaginal device is divided into distinct functional segments: a fixation element (reference member) that anchors the device to the vaginal wall, a longitudinal portion that provides structural support, and supporting portions (protrusions) that directly contact and support the urethra. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally, ensuring both secure fixation and effective urethral support during movement and pressure events.
2Reliability
If existing vaginal devices provide compression support, then they may reduce urine leakage, but they can be uncomfortable or harmful due to their design
Solution Approach 1:
The device applies compression forces locally and selectively rather than uniformly. The supporting portions (protrusions) are positioned to contact only the urethra at the maximal urethral pressure point, providing targeted support where needed. The fixation element contacts only the vaginal wall for anchoring. This localized approach prevents harmful compression of surrounding healthy tissues while maintaining effective urethral support for incontinence prevention.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a vaginal device is made of elastic material, then it can adapt to vaginal anatomy, but it may lack sufficient structural support for effective urethral compression
Solution Approach 1:
The device utilizes the elastic material's properties to provide anatomical adaptation and comfort, while the geometric design of the supporting portions (protrusions) concentrates the elastic material's compressive force into focused contact points on the urethra. This composite approach of material property plus geometric configuration enables both adaptability to vaginal anatomy and sufficient structural support for effective urethral compression.
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 effectively reduces urine leakage in women with urinary stress incontinence by providing stable support to the urethra, with 45% of users experiencing completely dry conditions and 90% experiencing reduced leakage during physical activities like jumping.
Implementation Method 1
A vaginal device made of elastic material with a longitudinal portion and a reference member that fixes against the vaginal introitus, featuring a supporting portion that protrudes to support the urethra
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention refers to a vaginal device of an elastic material, the vaginal device comprising a longitudinal portion having a geometrical center line, an upper end and a lower end and which vaginal device is intended to be inserted securely fixated inside of a vagina, the upper end being the innermost of the vaginal device in the vagina during use, to support against the urethra, through the vaginal wall, to prevent urinary stress incontinence in a woman, wherein the vaginal device comprises at least one supporting portion protruding from the longitudinal portion and a reference member protruding from the longitudinal portion at the lower end, which reference member during use is fixated against the vaginal introitus, holding the vaginal device securely fixated inside of the vagina and ensuring the at least one supporting portion to support against the urethra.