JP7217398B2 - Pelvic floor supporter and clothing with pelvic floor supporter - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a therapeutic instrument for pelvic organ prolapse, and more particularly to a pelvic floor supporter and clothing provided with the pelvic floor supporter.

Pelvic organ prolapse is known as a disease in the field of gynecology and urology. The collapse of the supporting mechanisms of the urinary organs, reproductive organs, lower digestive organs, etc. causes the vaginal wall to relax, causing the organs to droop into the vagina. It is classified and named as uterine prolapse, cystocele, rectocele, etc. according to the organ site from which it prolapses. One of the causes is the loosening of the pelvic floor muscles due to aging, etc., which is accompanied by urinary incontinence and difficulty walking, greatly restricting daily activities, causing muscle weakness due to lack of exercise, and shortening healthy life expectancy. It is one of the diseases that should be overcome in an aging society.

Treatment for this disease includes surgical treatment by surgery and conservative treatment by training the pelvic floor muscles through exercise. On the other hand, as a treatment method for relieving symptoms, a method of inserting a device such as a pessary into the vagina, and a device that holds an elastic body covered with a flexible material at the vaginal opening (Patent Document 1) have been used. An undergarment in which a sheet material is pressed against the vestibule of the vagina has been proposed (Patent Document 2).

Japanese Patent No. 5138044 JP 2015-55022 A

Conventionally, a pessary, which has been used for the purpose of relieving the symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse, can be inserted deep into the vagina to stop the ptosis, but the force of the slackened vaginal wall supporting the pessary is weak, and actions that put pressure on the abdomen. There is a drawback that it is easy to fall off at times. In addition, since force is always applied to the parts that come into contact with instruments, care and management are required to prevent inflammation and infectious diseases, including keeping the instruments clean.

In the presently provided embodiment, the device for holding an elastic body coated with a flexible material in the vaginal orifice of "Patent Document 1" stops the prolapse of organs from the vaginal orifice, but prevents organ drooping up to the vicinity of the vaginal orifice. However, it has the disadvantage of being less effective in relieving symptoms than pessaries. In addition, it takes time and effort to clean, maintain, and wear the device, and the holding belt does not follow changes in the shape of the abdomen during exercise, making it unsuitable for wearing during exercise. The proposal of "Patent Document 2" in which a sheet-like material is pressed against the vestibule of the vagina is improved by reducing the number of parts, but it cannot prevent drooping up to the vaginal opening, and the same drawback remains.

In the present invention, in order to overcome the drawbacks of the existing devices as described above, a pelvis that stops organ ptosis in the deep part of the vagina and alleviates organ ptosis symptoms to the extent that mild exercise is possible without using an intravaginal insertion part. An object of the present invention is to provide an instrument for treating organ prolapse.

As a result of considering the anatomical structure of the pelvic floor, it was found that "approximately two-thirds of the upper part of the vagina is located almost parallel to the pelvic floor muscles," and that "the perineal body near the vagina is a complex of muscle and connective tissue. The present invention was completed by paying attention to the fact that it is highly elastic and located near the center of the pelvic floor muscle group. The pelvic floor supporter according to the first aspect of the present invention is characterized in that it has a thin belt-like cloth that is in contact with the anal region, and is configured to elevate the perineal body by the tension of the cloth. By wearing the pelvic floor supporter of the present invention, the posterior vaginal wall located above the perineal body is pressed against the anterior vaginal wall, and the vagina is closed by the vaginal wall itself. By blocking the vagina midway through which the pelvic organs hang down, it is possible to stop the hanging of the organs and alleviate symptoms in the same way as inserting a pessary into that position.

In addition, since the pelvic floor supporter of the present invention utilizes "the elasticity of the perineal body", the force applied from the body surface is transmitted to the posterior vaginal wall located on the opposite side via the perineal body. can do. In addition, since "the perineal body is positioned near the center of the pelvic floor muscles," a large displacement in the direction perpendicular to the muscles can be generated with a relatively small force. By "locating the upper part of the vagina parallel to the pelvic floor muscles", the displacement of the posterior vaginal wall can be obtained to the same extent as the displacement of the perineal body, making it easier to close the vagina.

A pelvic floor supporter according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises a cloth extending from the abdomen through the crotch to the anus and to the back waist, the cloth passing through the crotch having the thin belt-shaped cloth as a part thereof, It is composed of a detachable part that pulls up the cloth passing through the crotch and is detachably connected to the waist belt part, and a waist belt part that supports the force of pulling up the cloth passing through the crotch by the frictional force around the ilium, It is characterized in that the tension of the part in contact with the anus is in the range of 20 to 60N when worn. By wearing the pelvic floor supporter of the present invention, the contact pressure generated according to the curvature of the contact surface of the perineum lifts the perineal body, and the posterior vaginal wall located above the perineal body is moved to the anterior vaginal wall. It can be pressed against the vagina and occluded by the vaginal wall itself.

A third aspect of the pelvic floor supporter of the present invention is characterized in that part or all of the cloth passing through the crotch area and the thin belt-like cloth are made of a stretchable elastic material having an elongation rate of 30% or more. and Since the pelvic floor supporter of the present invention has a large elongation rate when worn, even if the front and back length of the crotch is changed due to a change in posture, the effect can be reduced by sufficiently following the change in the length of the crotch.

The fourth pelvic floor supporter of the present invention uses a rectangular stretchable elastic material for the portion of the cloth passing through the crotch from the abdomen to the anus, the upper side of the rectangle is connected to the detachable portion, and the lower side of the pelvic floor supporter. The left and right sides are rolled into a cylindrical shape and connected to a thin belt-like cloth that contacts the anus to form an inverted trapezoid. With this inverted trapezoidal cloth, it is possible to support the perineal body by fitting the cloth passing through the crotch area to the body surface without impairing the tension.

A fifth aspect of the pelvic floor supporter of the present invention is characterized in that a slit is formed along the length direction in the center of the thin belt-shaped cloth that contacts the anus, near the tailbone. This slit can reliably prevent the narrow belt-like cloth from hanging on the apex of the protrusion near the coccyx and reduce the contact pressure to prevent bedsores.

In the sixth pelvic floor supporter of the present invention, the waist belt portion is formed of a low-elasticity material in a portion contacting the abdomen, and of a non-elastic or high-elasticity material in the remaining portion, and is connected to the remaining portion. A structure is provided and is characterized in that it is formed such that a high tension is obtained in the waist belt portion only when the detachable portion is connected to the connecting structure. According to this, by removing the attachment/detachment portion from the connection structure of the waist belt portion, the tension at the time of attachment and detachment of the waist belt portion can be weakened and attachment and detachment can be easily performed.

A seventh aspect of the pelvic floor supporter of the present invention is characterized in that a W-shaped portion made of an elastic material that stretches laterally is provided at the center of the fabric on the front of the abdomen of the detachable portion. The W-shaped part can divide the tension of the cloth passing through the crotch into two parts to the left and right and transmit it to the waist belt part, and the tension between the cloth passing through the crotch and the waist belt part is always linked, and the tension is light. The wearing state can be maintained well even during exercise, and the pressure generated in the abdomen due to lateral tension can be dispersed to prevent an increase in abdominal pressure.

When the garment provided with the pelvic floor supporter according to the first aspect of the present invention is worn in place between the groins, the posterior vaginal wall located above the perineal body is pressed against the anterior vaginal wall, and the vaginal wall itself is used to support the vagina. can be blocked to prevent sagging of the pelvic organs.

Since the pelvic floor supporter of the present invention can stop ptosis in the upper part of the vagina, it is highly effective in relieving various symptoms such as discomfort, discomfort, and difficulty in walking associated with organ ptosis. The structure of the detachable part keeps the tension of the cloth passing through the crotch and the waist belt in a proportional relationship, so it can prevent drooping even when performing actions that require abdominal pressure such as anger, making it suitable for use during light exercise. In addition, by disconnecting one side of the band, the tension of the waist belt can be released at the same time, and it is easy to put on and take off, so it is suitable for patients who tend to urinate frequently. Since it does not use an intravaginal part, it is easy to clean and maintain on a daily basis.

Female pelvic floor median cross section 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a pelvic floor supporter of the present invention; Same front view FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the pelvic floor supporter of the present invention;

The pelvic organs hang down inside the vagina due to their own weight and abdominal pressure. called) must be greater than or equal to the intraabdominal pressure. The abdominal pressure at rest in a standing position is estimated to be 4 kPa or less in the upper part of the vagina, which is lower than the capillary circulation pressure, which is one of the criteria for the prevention of pressure ulcers. After determining that the pressure could be secured, the pelvic floor supporter of the present invention was completed.

The pelvic floor supporter of the present invention comprises, as shown in FIG. These are sewn or joined by hooks or the like to be integrated, and the overall shape of women's underpants is formed.

The ``cloth passing through the crotch'' 10 is a cloth that touches the anus through the crotch and extends to the back waist, part or all of which is made of a stretchable elastic material, and is attached to the ``waist belt part'' 20 at the back waist. It is connected by sewing or the like, and the other end is connected to the "detachable portion" 30 at the abdomen. The length of this "cloth passing through the crotch" 10 is made shorter than the front and back length of the crotch of the human body (the length actually measured from the abdomen to the back waist via the crotch), and the stretchable elasticity used partially or entirely A tension of 20 to 60 N is generated in the "cloth passing through the crotch" 10 by stretching the material part and wearing it. A contact pressure is generated on the curved surface where the "cloth passing through the crotch" 10 and the perineum of the human body contact according to the tension of the cloth and the curvature of the contact surface, thereby elevating the perineum. The lower limit of the tension of the "cloth passing through the crotch" 10 is restricted by the occlusion pressure, and the upper limit is restricted by the prevention of pressure ulcers at the contact portion, and is within the above range.

Since the crotch front-to-back length also changes due to changes in posture and movement, the elongation rate of the "cloth passing through the crotch" 10 changes and the tension changes. In order to reduce the influence of changes in posture, it is effective to increase the elongation when worn, and it is desirable to use a cloth material that has an elongation of 30% or more when worn.

The part of the "cloth passing through the crotch" 10 that touches the anus behind the perineum is a thin belt-like cloth 12 that has a width that avoids the influence of the swelling of the adjacent right and left buttocks and applies sufficient contact pressure to the anus. are distributed. An inverted trapezoidal cloth 11 whose width is gradually widened from the vulva to the mons pubis is arranged in order to reduce the contact pressure on the part that contacts from the vulva to the mons pubis. In general, a stretchable elastic fabric is manufactured with a structure in which elastic fibers such as polyurethane are woven in the direction of stretching. For this reason, in the inverted trapezoidal cloth 11, as shown in FIG. 3, the right and left sides of the cloth cut into a rectangle are rolled into a cylindrical shape so as to prevent the elastic fibers from being cut in the middle to form conical portions 11a and 11b. This is flattened and connected to a thin band-shaped cloth 12 that contacts the anus. This shape allows the inverted trapezoidal cloth 11 to fit the body surface without impairing the tension.

Depending on the tension of the "cloth passing through the crotch" 10, a high contact pressure may be generated on the convex portion near the coccyx. For this reason, slits 13 are formed in the thin band-like cloth 12 along the length direction of the cloth to avoid the cloth from being applied to the peaks of the convex portions, thereby reducing the contact pressure and preventing pressure ulcers.

The "waist belt part" 20 is a band that wraps around the ilium, and the width of the band is such that a sufficient area can be obtained to support the tension of the "cloth passing through the crotch" 10 by the frictional force around the ilium. formed. A high-stretchable portion 21 formed of a low-elasticity material is formed in a part of the front of the front abdomen, and a low-stretchable portion 22 is formed of a non-stretchable or high-elasticity material in the remaining section. A "cloth through the crotch" 10 is connected to the back waist of the "waist belt portion" 20 by sewing or the like. As shown in FIG. 3, the "waist belt portion" 20 has a connection structure 20c such as a hook on a low stretchable portion 22 near both ends of a high stretchable portion 21. As shown in FIG. The ``waist belt part'' 20 is made of a ``detachable part'' 30 made of a highly elastic material connected to the ``cloth passing through the crotch'' 10 and overlapped with the high stretchable part 21 to hook the low stretchable part 22 of the waist belt. It is possible to increase the tension and ensure sufficient frictional force with the human body surface. At the time of attachment and detachment, the highly stretchable portion 21 is stretched by removing the "attachment/detachment portion" 30, and the tension of the "waist belt portion" 20 is weakened so that attachment and detachment can be easily performed.

The "detachable part" 30 is formed in a substantially T-shaped band, and has bands 31 and 32 made of a non-stretchable or highly elastic material directed obliquely upward on both left and right sides. A connection structure 30c such as a hook that can be connected to the connection structure 20c of the “waist belt portion” 20 is provided at the ends of the belts 31 and 32 .

The "detachable part" 30 is connected to the "cloth passing through the crotch" 10 by sewing or the like with the line 30b connecting the lower oblique sides 31a and 32a of the belts 31 and 32 as the lower side, and the "cloth passing through the crotch" 10 is pulled up. It has a function of hooking the “cloth passing through the crotch” 10 to the “waist belt portion” 20 . A W-shaped cloth 33 made of an elastic material that expands and contracts in the lateral direction is provided in the central portion of the "detachable portion" 30 where the belts 31 and 32 are joined from the upper side of the central portion to the lower side 30b. The "detachable part" 30 divides the tension of the "cloth passing through the crotch" 10 into left and right due to this shape, and guides it obliquely upward along the lower oblique sides 31a and 32a of the left and right bands 31 and 32. waist belt portion” 20. Since the tension of the "cloth passing through the crotch" 10 and the tension of the "waist belt part" 20 are always linked, the pelvic floor supporter can be stably held without loosening even during light exercise.

When the W-shaped cloth 33 is not provided, as shown in FIG. Tension is applied, and contact pressure generated in the center of the abdomen may increase abdominal pressure and exacerbate organ drooping. Therefore, in the pelvic floor supporter of the present invention, a wide W-shaped cloth 33 is provided at a position that blocks the tangential line for the purpose of dispersing this tension and preventing an increase in abdominal pressure.

Although the description is based on the premise that "cloth" is used as the material to be used, the same effect can be obtained by using leather or a non-fiber sheet material instead of cloth, provided that the described stretchability is taken into consideration. Considering the state of use, a material with good air permeability is more preferable.

The elastic material means a material such as polyurethane or rubber, or a material having a high elongation rate similar to cloth woven from threads made by processing these materials. Materials other than these, which have an elongation similar to that of cloth woven only from natural fibers or synthetic fibers, were used as non-stretchable materials. There are also materials that have anisotropic stretchability by using polyurethane fibers for one of the warp and weft threads of the fabric. When such a material is used in the product of the present invention, it can be used as a stretchable material if the direction in which the force is applied has a large elongation rate, and as a non-stretchable material if the direction in which the elongation rate is small is used. be.

The connection structure 30c such as a hook used for the "detachable part" 30 is not limited to a hook as long as it has a function of being able to be attached and detached at will. For example, a hook-and-loop fastener may be applied. . Instead of providing the connection structure 30c at both ends of the "detachable portion" 30, either one end of the belts 31 and 32 may be sewn to the "waist belt portion" 20 and only the other end may be provided with the connection structure 30c.

For the shape of the W-shaped cloth 33 provided in the "detachable part" 30, other shapes such as horizontal B-shape and V-shape can be substituted, but the pressure applied to the abdomen affects how it is worn. Therefore, in consideration of the situation in which the patient attaches and detaches by himself/herself, it is desirable to have a W-shape that does not easily cause an increase in abdominal pressure.

The pelvic floor supporter of the present invention is supposed to be worn over panties, but the same structure can be inserted into cloth panties, which is an example of ordinary clothing, or synthesized as part of it. It is also possible to form clothing by integrating with. In this case, it is desirable that the vicinity of the thin belt-shaped cloth 12 of the "cloth passing through the crotch" 10 that contacts the anus is not sewn with the crotch cloth of ordinary panties and is independent. As shown in Figure 1, the surface of the female pelvic floor has two protrusions, the vulva and the buttocks. The cloth does not touch the anal area directly. This is because if such a crotch cloth and the thin belt-like cloth 12 are sewn together, a force is applied in the direction away from the perineum, and the contact pressure required to lift the perineal body cannot be obtained.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which a stretchable elastic material that stretches only in one direction is used for the inverted trapezoidal cloth 11 of the "cloth passing through the crotch" 10, and the remaining thin belt-shaped cloth 12 is made of a non-stretchable material. be. The stitching of the inverted trapezoidal cloth 11 and the thin belt-like cloth 12 was made near the anus. The connecting portion between the "waist belt portion" 20 and the thin belt-shaped cloth 12 is partially doubled for reinforcement, and the connecting portion between the "detachable portion" 30 and the inverted trapezoidal cloth 11 is a W-shaped cloth. Direct stitching reduces the sewing process.

The pelvic floor supporter of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible without impairing the characteristics of the invention.

The number of patients with pelvic organ prolapse in Japan is large, and it is assumed that there are a similar number of patients overseas as well. The pelvic floor supporter of the present invention and clothing equipped with the pelvic floor supporter can be used industrially as medical equipment used for these patients and as products of the textile sewing industry.

1 pubic symphysis 2 vulva 3 perineal body 4 buttocks 5 coccyx 10 cloth passing through the groin 11 inverted trapezoidal cloth 12 thin belt-like cloth 13 slit 20 waist belt portion 20c connection structure 21 high stretchable portion 22 low stretchable portion 30 Detachable portion 30c Connection structure 31, 32 Belt 33 W-shaped cloth

Claims (3)

The cloth extends from the abdomen to the back waist through the crotch, and the part in contact with the anus on the rear side of the perineum is formed in a narrow band shape to avoid the bulge of the left and right buttocks of the human body and is in contact with the anus through the crotch. a detachable portion for pulling up the cloth passing through the crotch and detachably connecting it to the waist belt portion; In the pelvic floor supporter, a rectangular stretchable elastic material is used for the part of the fabric passing through the crotch from the abdomen to the anus, the upper side of the rectangle is connected to the detachable part, and the left and right lower sides are cylindrical. It is formed into an inverted trapezoidal shape by being rolled up and connected to a thin strip of cloth in contact with the anus, and the tension of the part in contact with the anus is in the range of 20 to 60 N when worn. According to the tension, the perineal body is lifted and the posterior vaginal wall located above the perineal body is pressed against the anterior vaginal wall to close the vagina and stop organ drooping through the vagina. Pelvic floor supporter.
A portion of the waist belt portion that contacts the abdomen is made of a low-elasticity material, and the remaining portion is made of a non-elastic or high-elasticity material. The pelvic floor supporter according to claim 1 , characterized in that it is formed so that a strong tension can be applied to the waist belt portion only when it is connected to the connecting structure.
3. The pelvis according to any one of claims 1 to 2 , characterized in that a W-shaped portion made of an elastic material that stretches in the horizontal direction is provided in the center of the fabric on the front of the abdomen of the detachable portion. bottom supporter.

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