Urinary prostheses

Abstract

A urinary prosthesis can include an elongate tube that can extend from outside a patient's body, through the patient's urethra, and into the patient's bladder. A funnel can be coupled to a terminal end portion of the elongate tube, and can be positioned inside the patient's bladder so that a surface of the funnel contacts tissue within the patient's bladder surrounding the patient's urethra across a full 360° contact profile.

1 . A urinary prosthesis comprising:
 an elongate flexible tube;   a flexible funnel including a surface coupled to the elongate flexible tube, the surface having a single circular edge at its outer periphery to provide a 360° contact profile for contacting native bladder tissues; and   a flexible stabilizer coupled to the flexible funnel and extending laterally away from the flexible funnel.   
     
     
         2 . The urinary prosthesis of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of flexible stabilizers coupled to the flexible funnel and extending laterally away from the flexible funnel, the plurality of flexible stabilizers including the flexible stabilizer, and the plurality of flexible stabilizers spaced equidistantly apart from one another around the flexible funnel. 
     
     
         3 . The urinary prosthesis of  claim 2  wherein each of the plurality of flexible stabilizers are canted and wherein the plurality of flexible stabilizers have a consistent cant. 
     
     
         4 . The urinary prosthesis of  claim 1  wherein the surface of the flexible funnel coupled to the elongate flexible tube is connected to the elongate flexible tube at an angle between 90° and 135°. 
     
     
         5 . The urinary prosthesis of  claim 4  wherein the angle is based on an individual patient's anatomy. 
     
     
         6 . The urinary prosthesis of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the surface of the flexible funnel coupled to the elongate flexible tube has a radius of curvature between 1 mm and 10 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The urinary prosthesis of  claim 6  wherein the radius of curvature is based on an individual patient's anatomy. 
     
     
         8 . The urinary prosthesis of  claim 1  wherein the funnel comprises a first material, the elongate flexible tube comprises a second material, and the first material is denser than the second material. 
     
     
         9 . The urinary prosthesis of  claim 1  wherein the funnel comprises a first material, the elongate flexible tube comprises a second material, and the second material is denser than the first material. 
     
     
         10 - 20 . (canceled)