Urethral suppository

Abstract

A urethral suppository having a shaft shaped for cooperating with the action of the periurethral musculature to retain the suppository within the urethra, and having a knob extending from an end of the shaft sized to prevent over insertion of the suppository. A method of delivering one or more therapeutic agents to the urethra and associated structures, the method involving insertion of the urethral suppository into the urethra.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A urethral suppository for insertion in a female urethra, the female urethra having a length extending between the urethral orifice and the bladder, the suppository formed from a meltable biocompatible material, said suppository comprising: 
 (a) a shaft having a first end, a second end, and a shaft length extending between the first end and the second end,    (b) a knob extending from the second end of the shaft and sized to prevent insertion of said knob into the urethra, 
 wherein said suppository comprises at least one therapeutic agent and the shaft length is less than the urethra length so that when the first end of the shaft is inserted into the urethra until the knob is adjacent to and external to the urethra, the first end of the shaft does not extend to the bladder.  
   
     
     
         2 . The urethral suppository according to  claim 1  wherein the knob is ellipsoidal.  
     
     
         3 . The urethral suppository according to  claim 1  wherein the suppository comprises at least one therapeutic agent applied as a coating to the biocompatible material.  
     
     
         4 . The urethral suppository according to  claim 1  wherein the suppository comprises at least one therapeutic agent applied differentially to the biocompatible material.  
     
     
         5 . The urethral suppository according to  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the shaft has a diameter between 8 and 15 millimeters.  
     
     
         6 . The urethral suppository according to  claim 1  wherein the knob has a diameter between 13 and 17 millimeters.  
     
     
         7 . The urethral suppository according to  claim 1  wherein the shaft has a longitudinal axis and an outer surface wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of the shaft is disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         8 . The urethral suppository according to  claim 1  wherein the urethra has a urethral wall and the shaft has a longitudinal axis, at least a portion the shaft having a variable diameter along the longitudinal axis so that a perimuscular force applied by the urethral wall to the shaft exerts a force having a direction toward the bladder upon the shaft.  
     
     
         9 . The urethral suppository according to  claim 1  wherein the suppository comprises at least one therapeutic agent applied to the knob, to the shaft, or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The urethral suppository according to  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic agent is selected from one or more of the group consisting of antibiotics, antimicrobials, antifungal agents, analgesics, anaesthetics, steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, mucous production stimulators, hormones, and anti-spasmodics.  
     
     
         11 . The urethral suppository according to  claim 1  wherein the biocompatible material is a biocompatible carrier medium selected from one or more of the group consisting of modified celluloses, poly (vinly alcohol), poly (vinylpyrrolidone), polyacrylamide, poly (ethylene glycol), poly (phosphoester urethanes), and ethyleneoxide polymers.