Urethral artificial sphincter with bistable actuation system

US11571288B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento Sant'Anna · IT
• INAIL—ISTITUTO NAZIONALE PER L'ASSICURAZIONE CONTRO GLI INFORTUNI SUL LAVORO · IT

Inventors

• Tommaso MAZZOCCHI · Montecatini Terme, IT
• Arianna Menciassi · Pontedera, IT
• Leonardo RICOTTI · Montelopio, IT
• Gioia Lucarini · Marina di Pietrasanta, IT
• Leonardo Marziale · Pisa, IT
• Rinaldo Sacchetti · Torricella, IT

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 28, 2018
• Grant date: Feb 7, 2023
• Expiry date: Nov 26, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61F2250/0041
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An artificial sphincter to be implanted in a urethra, for treating patients suffering from urinary incontinence, includes a container configured to be connected to a wall of a urethra, inside or outside it, a valve unit housed within the container and configured to move from a release configuration to a block configuration and vice-versa. An actuation magnet is movably (rotatably or slidably) arranged between a first and a second position in the container, and is connected to the valve unit such that a predetermined (rotation or translation) movement of the actuation magnet from a first towards a second position, or from the second towards the first position, under the effect of an external manoeuvre magnet, brings the valve unit from the release configuration to the block configuration, where the valve is stably maintained, and from the block configuration to the release configuration, where the valve is stably maintained.