GB2187959A - Incontinence device - Google Patents

Abstract

A simple portable device for curing female incontinence. It essentially comprises a fluid filled cylinder (10) connected by a narrow bore transparent tube (11) to an air filled reservoir (12). The tube has a scale (13) slidably mounted on it, and is constricted adjacent the cylinder. The device is sensitive to radial, but not axial, compression for indicating the strength of pelvic floor muscles when certain exercises are performed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Measuring device for muscle contractions This invention relates to a measuring device for indicating a degree of contraction of a woman's pelvic floor muscles when performing exercises and for indicating to the user progress made in strengthening the muscles to-alleviate certain types of incontinence.

It is known that many women suffer types of incontinence which manifest as intermittent urine dribbles of low flow rate and volume.

One type of incontinence that many women suffer is that occasionally when they cough or sneeze a small quantity of urine escapes unexpectedly. This problem is more acute in women during pregnancy, and can continue after the pregnancy.

Similiarly, it is known that a large proportion of incontinent women suffer a urine leak only occasionally.

The reason for many of these incontinences is that pelvic floor muscles are, or become, weak.

It has been found that it is possible to alleviate or cure incontinence problems by exercising, and thereby strengthening, the pelvic floor muscles. However women commonly experience difficulty in locating and contracting their pelvic floor muscles.

Once a suitable exercise has been identified with professional help from a clinic, it has to be performed frequently to achieve results. It has been found that, unfortunately, many women lose interest in performing these exercises when there is no indication or measurement device to determine progress or to confirm that they are still exercising the correct muscle when carrying out the exercise away from the clinic.

Devices including pressure sensitive cells placed in the vagina have been used to indicate when the pelvic floor muscles, are contracted.

These devices are however expensive and their use is limited essentially to clinics. They also have, in some cases, to be correctly oriented in the woman's vagina to obtain the correct output. Further, improvements can be measured only occasionally on clinic visits.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a cheap and simple portable device which can be used any time, to give the user an indication of the strenth with which she is contracting her pelvic floor muscles when performing an exercise and also to help with self-monitoring of progress in strengthering of the muscles.

A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a device which requires no orientation when in use, and which also requires no electrical power to operate it.

According to the present invention a device for indicating the degree of contraction of the pelvic floor muscles includes a cylinder adapted to fit within a woman's vagina, the cylinder being resistant to axial compression but sensitive to radial compression, a tube extending from the cylinder and terminating in an air reservoir, a scale slidably on the tube, and liquid filling the cylinder and extending part way up the tube.

Preferably the cylinder is constructed of medical grade PVC material.

Preferably a restrictor is introduced between the cylinder and the tube.

Preferably the cylinder end remote from the tube is of a part spherical shape for comfort and ease of insertion into the woman's vagina.

By way of example, one embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammetic drawings of which, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus, Figure 2 is a sectional view on ll-ll of Figure 1.

With reference to Figure 1, the apparatus consists of a liquid filled cylinder 10 which in use senses contraction of muscles 22 and a flexible transparent tube 11 partly filled with liquid extending from one end of the cylinder 10 and terminating in an air reservoir 12. A scale 13 is slidably arranged on tube 11.

The cylinder 10 is further shown in greater detail in figure 2. It consists of a flexible cylindrical tube 14 of PVC material. The tube 14 is of an appropriate wall thickness and the material is of certain hardness, such that it is sensitive to radial compression but resistant to axial compression. The tube 14 has two end plugs 15 and 16, which are constructed out of perspex material. The plugs 15 and 16 provide axial rigidity for the tube 14. The plug 15 at end 17 is part spherical and has a maximum chord length equal to the outer diameter of the tube 14. The plug 16, at the other end of the tube 14, has extending from it a flexible transparent tube 11 which is of a considerably smaller diameter than the tube 14.

The plug 16 defines three different size bores 18, 19 and 20, the bore 18, from which extends the tube 11, being the smallest. The bores 19 and 20 are connected together by a tapered portion 28. The tube 11 has a larger diameter tube 1 1a at one end and is housed within the bore 19. This tube 1 1a provides an anchor for the tube 11. A nylon insert 21 also housed within the bore 19, defines a restrictor 24. One surface of the insert 21, remote from the tube 11a, has a concave surface 27 and is arranged such that the surface 27, the tapered portion 28, and the bore 20 form a parabolic shape. The parabolic shape aids in removal of any air bubbles from a volume 23 of the cylinder 10 via the restrictor 24 and the tube 11.

The air reservoir 12 (Figure 1) is made from polyethylene material and is constructed of a particular shape having a cylindrical vessel 26 with an open end terminating in a funnel shape member, having a cone shaped member 28 and a slender tube 29. The free end of the tube 11, which is of a considerable length, is connected to the slender tube 29 of the air reservoir 12.

Adhesive is used to form seals 25 to avoid any leakage of air or liquid. The liquid is preferably coloured with a dye to enhance the visibility.

In use, air bubbles which may have developed in the liquid in the tube 11 are removed by radially compressing the cylinder 10 allowing the liquid and the air bubbles in the tube 11 to be displaced into the air reservoir 12.

When the cylinder 10 is released the liquid without the air bubbles returns from the air reservoir 12 towards the cylinder 10 and the tube 11. This procedure is repeated again if air bubbles are still present in the liquid. The cylinder 10 with its part spherical end 17 is then inserted and positioned by the woman in her vagina in any orientation. The pelvic floor muscles are then relaxed and the scale slid along the tube 11 to the level of liquid menisus in the tube 11. The exercise is then carried out with the cylinder 10 in position. The contraction of pelvic floor muscles acts on the vagina and, by radial compression, on flexible tube 14 to displace the liquid into the tube 11 via the restrictor 24. The rise in liquid level in the tube 11 gives an indication of the degree of pelvic floor muscle contraction.The pelvic floor muscles are then relaxed, and the liquid level falls in the tube 11 as the cylinder 10 returns to its original volume. The air reservoir 12 acts as an "air -spring" and encourages the liquid to return to its original level of liquid menisus in the tube 11. The maximum rise of the liquid level in the tube 11 as measured on the scale 13, may then be recorded to provide a record of the progress made in strengthening the muscles.

The exercise is repeated again with the object of displacing the liquid level as high as possible in the tube 11, This exercise can be repeated as often as is convenient.

The use of restrictor 24 is to dampen the flow of liquid back into the cylinder 14 and prevent the liquid column in the tube 11 from dividing into droplets. It has also been discovered that the division of droplets can be further impeded if the inner surface of the tube 11 is relatively hydrophilic.

The device therefore helps the user to locate her pelvic floor muscles, and gives her an indication that she is exercising the right muscles. Progress can thereby be monitored and any indication of an improvement in mus cle strength motivates the user to continue with the exercise.

In the particular embodiment shown in Figure 1 and 2, the overall diameter of device 10 is 20mm and the overal length is 85mm. The restrictor 22 is 0.25mm in diameter and 2mm in length. The tube 11 is 350mm in length and the scale 13 numbered 1-10 with 1Omm intervals. The volume of the air reservoir 12 is about semi. The distance between the smallest section of cone shape 28 of airreservoir 12 and the tube end 11 is 15 mm. Other dimensions are possible if they are not uncomfortable to the user, but must be large enough to sense the contraction of the muscles and provide adequate liquid displacement in the tube 11. The restrictor 22 can be replaced by, for example, a slug of open-celled foam.

It will be realised that as the device is a sealed unit it stops the liquid in the tube 11 and the cylinder 10 from evaporating.

It has been found that for an efficient removal of air bubbles from the liquid, the distance between the smallest section of cone shape 28, of the air reservoir 12, and the tube end 11 connection is quite critical.

It will be clear to those skilled in the art that many alternative materials and methods may be used in the construction of the device.

The cylinder 10, instead of using the plugs, for example, could be moulded in one piece from PVC material.

Claims (11)

1. A device for indicating a degree of contraction of the pelvic floor muscles including a cylinder adapted to fit within a woman,s vagina, the cylinder being resistant to axial compression but sensitive to radial compression, a flexible and transparent tube extending from the cylinder and terminating in an air reservoir, a scale slidable on the tube, and liquid filling the cylinder and extending part way up the tube.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which a restrictor is introduced between the cylinder and the tube.

3. A device according to claim 1 in which the cylinder is constructed of medical grade PVC material.

4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims in which the cylinder has first and second end plugs of perspex material.

5. A device according to claim 4 in which the first end plug is of a part spherical shape.

6. A device according to claim 5 in which the first end plug has a maximum chord length equal to the diameter of the cylinder.

7. A device according to any one of claims 4 to 6 in which the tube extends from the second plug.

8. A device according to any preceding claims constructed as a sealed unit.

9. A device according to claim 8 in which an adhesive is used to form seals.

10. A device according to any one of claims 1-9 in which the liquid is coloured with a dye.

11. A device substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.