DEVICE FORPROTECTIONANDEXTENSION OFTHE URETHRA
DESCRIPTION
The field of application of the invention
The invention is a device that facilitates the examination and treatment of the urinary tract, but with minor alterations it might find application in broader medicine.
Technical problem
Inserting of instruments in the urinary tract is often difficult and especially so in the narrowed urethra in male patients. The narrowing causes frequent and difficult urinating, and culminates in the patient being incapable of urinating at all. Side effects include weakening of the bladder, kidneys etc.
Background of the invention
There are multiple kinds of treatment of this problem: drug treatment, operations and other interventions. The best results are obtained through laser widening, but in some patients the illness can restitute causing the need for a new intervention. Inserting of a cystoscope, whether hard or flexible, is still not handled satisfactorily.
Summary of the invention
This invention can be carried through in several variants.
Before inserting the tube of the cystoscope, the urethra is inserted with a protector (fig. 1, 2 and
4). The protector is inserted painlessly and as deeply as needed. Its diameter is 3-4 mm and it is elastic. The inner side of the protector is lined with vertically placed wires, while the outside is coated into rubber. The cylindrical part of the protector is inserted into urethra, and the cone- shaped part becomes the handle.
The tube of the cystoscope is inserted through the handle and the cone-shaped part of the protector. The tube divides the wires inside the protector, without disturbing their circular arrangement. The wires widen the rubber coat of the protector, thus widening the urethra itself,
making it possible for the tube of the cystoscope to enter the urethra smoothly and easily. The protector provides the barrier between the cystoscope and the urethra. The force produced by the horizontal movement of the cystoscope along the wires is small, while the radial force is flexibly transferred from the wires to the rubber cover, which in turn extends the urethra as far as the plasticity of the material allows it.
If for some reason the urethra has to be extended or its width controlled, instead of the tube of the cystoscope, the protector is inserted with ellipsoidal wideners whose diameter varies between 3 to 9 mm (fig. 5 and 6). The shape of the wideners makes it possible for them to pass through the cylindrical part of the protector, and different-depth grooves keep the circular arrangement of the wires constant and widen the narrowed part of the urethra. . The instrument is composed of the following parts:
- the protector of the urethra (fig. 1, 2, 4 and 7)
- ellipsoidal wideners (fig. 5, 6 and 7) ,
- cylindrical insert (fig. 2, 3 and 4). , . .
Brief description of the drawings
The figures included in the description of the invention help explain the basic principles of the invention's functions. Figure 1 is the blueprint of the protector of the urethra (without the cylindrical insert)
Figure 2 is the 3D image of the protector of me urethra
Figure 3 is the 3D image of the cylindrical insert
Figure 4 is the cross section of the cylindrical part with the cylindrical insert
Figure 5 is the blueprint of the ellipsoidal widener with the handle Figure 6 is the 3D image of the widener Figure 7 is the 3D image of the protector in use
The cylindrical insert is not featured in fig. 1, but separately in fig. 3, since it does not participate in the application of the device, but helps in storing it and is removed immediately before the device is put to use.
Detailed description of the preferred embodiment
Figures 1, 2 show the protector of the urethra, while fig. 4 shows its cross section at the cylindrical part. The rim is composed of the circular arrangement of the inner wires (10), which
are connected, to the rubber cover (20), forming a whole. NvTien the protector is not used, the circular arrangement of the wires (without the rubber) is maintained by the cylindrical insert
(15).
The cone-shaped part of the wire net (11) facilitates the initial insertion of the cystoscope into the protector. The rubber part is reinforced at the beginning (22), which hosts the ends of the wires. The spherical shape of the rubber cover facilitates the insertion of the cystoscope into the urethra. The back part of the rubber cover is reinforced by a rubber ring (12), which is inserted into the groove of the handle (21) and maintains the vertical tension of the protector. The rest of the rubber cover is meant to protect the urethra. The total length of the protector is 35 cm, but can be lengthened up to 60 cm.
The kit contains four wideners, with the diameters of 3, 5, 7 and 9 mm. The front part of the widener is ellipsoidal (30) and in its rim there are grooves of different depth (34), which help keep the wires in the circular arrangement while the wideners are being inserted into the protector. In the centre of the widener there is an opening whose diameter is 1mm, (33), which takes away residual air.
Application of the invention
The invention is meant to be an aid in treatment of the urinary tract in hospitals and other medical institutions where cystoscopy and other tests are done. In one of the variants of the realization of the protector of the urethra, the rubber cover is separate from the wire net, and is put on immediately before the use. Such a protector would serve only for widening and monitoring of the urethra, and its front, reinforced part would be closed. Under the initial supervision of a doctor, it could be used by patients. , The users who have equipment for the outer monitoring of the insertion of the protector into the urether might use a longer variant of the device.
The parts of the device would be kept in separate sterile packaging. Most of the parts would be disposable.