Incontinence treatment device including non-porous cuff and extending members

Abstract

An incontinence treatment device includes a non-porous support and an extending member. The non-porous support has a first end portion provided with a slot and a second end portion. The second end portion is insertable through the slot to form a cuff that is configured for placement around a urethra of a user. The extending member is attached to the support at a junction located between the first end portion and the second end portion. Tension applied to the second end portion is adapted to draw the junction toward the slot to tighten the cuff and thus provide the user with a continent state. Tension applied to the extending member is adapted to draw the juncture away from the slot and expand the cuff and thus allow the user to urinate.

1 . An incontinence treatment device configured to be implanted in a body of a user, the incontinence treatment device comprising:
 a biocompatible non-porous support configured for implantation in the body of the user and having a first end portion provided with a slot and a second end portion, the second end portion is insertable through the slot to form a cuff that is configured for placement around a urethra of the user; and   a biocompatible extending member configured for implantation in the body of the user and attached to the support at a junction located between the first end portion and the second end portion;   wherein tension applied to the second end portion is adapted to draw the junction toward the slot to tighten the cuff and thus provide the user with a continent state;   wherein tension applied to the extending member is adapted to draw the junction away from the slot and expand the cuff and thus allow the user to urinate.   
     
     
         2 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the support has a height extending between a first side and a second side of the support, and the second end portion and the extending member both taper from a first width that is substantially equal to the height of the support to a second width that is narrower than the height of the support. 
     
     
         3 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the slot has a slot width and the second end portion has a stop width that is larger than the slot width and is so configured to prevent the junction from passing through the slot. 
     
     
         4 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the support is not inflatable. 
     
     
         5 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the support is not a mesh. 
     
     
         6 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the support has a thickness and is fabricated from a film having substantially uniform density through the thickness. 
     
     
         7 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the cuff is user-activated with each of the second end portion and the extending member being accessible to the user such that user-applied tension applied to the second end portion is adapted to coapt the urethra and provide the user with a continent state, and user-applied tension to the extending member is adapted to relieve coaptation of the urethra and allow the user to urinate. 
     
     
         8 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-porous support has three arms including the first end portion provided with the slot, the second end portion, and the extending member that is attached to the support at the junction. 
     
     
         9 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the extending member is attached at a substantially orthogonal angle to the support. 
     
     
         10 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the cuff is coated with a substance that is configured to prevent tissue attachment to the cuff. 
     
     
         11 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-porous support includes a first side spaced apart from a second side by a sheet width, and the first end portion has a width that is approximately equal to the sheet width and the second end portion tapers to a tapered width that is less than the sheet width. 
     
     
         12 . An incontinence treatment device configured to be implanted in a user, the incontinence treatment device comprising:
 a biocompatible non-porous sheet having a first side spaced apart from a second side by a sheet width, a first end portion having a width that is approximately equal to the sheet width with a slot formed in the first end portion, and a second end portion that tapers to a tapered width that is less than the sheet width;   a biocompatible extending member having a first end that is attached to the sheet at a junction located between the first end portion and the second end portion, the extending member including a second end that has a width that is less than the sheet width;   wherein the tapered width of the second end portion of the sheet is insertable through the slot in the first end portion to form a cuff from the non-porous sheet that is sized for placement around a human urethra;   wherein the slot has a slot width that prevents the junction from passing through the slot.   
     
     
         13 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 12 , wherein the extending member is attached at a substantially orthogonal angle to the sheet. 
     
     
         14 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-porous support comprises a flexible material. 
     
     
         15 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 12 , wherein the non-porous sheet comprises a flexible material. 
     
     
         16 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the second end portion of the non-porous support defines a substantially smooth outer surface that is configured to slide through the slot in the first end portion in at least two opposite directions. 
     
     
         17 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 12 , wherein the second end portion of the non-porous sheet defines a substantially smooth outer surface that is configured to slide through the slot in the first end portion in two opposite directions. 
     
     
         18 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 12  configured such that the cuff is releasable restrained at a first diameter and upon application of sufficient tension to the extending member the cuff is released and expands in diameter. 
     
     
         19 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 12  configured to permit expansion of the cuff upon application of sufficient tension to the extending member. 
     
     
         20 . The incontinence treatment device of  claim 1  configured to permit expansion of the cuff upon application of sufficient tension to the extending member.