EP0010650A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Instrument for dispensing material into the Fallopian tubes
Assignee: Cambio Ragione Sociale bionexus Inc
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Filing: 1979-10-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 1999-10-09
Abstract
Abstract A dispensing instrument with supported balloon (46) having a dispenser operable to place drug material into the uterine cavity and an expandable balloon (46) cooperating with support structure (59) operable to move the drug material from the uterine cavity into both canals of the Fallopian tubes. The instrument housing carries a piston/cylinder assembly. The balloon (46) is attached to a flexible tubular probe (43) mounted on one housing end. The piston/cylinder assembly is operable to fully collapse the balloon (46). After the balloon (46) is inserted through the cervical opening into the uterine cavity, a drug ampulla is loaded into the instrument. The piston/cylinder assembly is actuated to initially expand the balloon (46) and move a plunger into the ampulla to dispense drug material into the uterine cavity. The balloon (46) is then fully expanded to move the drug material into the canals of the Fallopian tubes. The balloon support structure (59) prevents the balloon (46) from expanding back through the cervical opening into the vaginal passage. The support structure (59) is a monofilament nylon (61, 62, 63, 64) arranged in intersecting latitudinal and longitudinal directions about a lower ballon (46) portion.
Inventors
- 👤 Lee R. Bolduc
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 21:08
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/42; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/10; A61M25/1002; A61M25/1025; A61M31/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
An instrument for placing material into both canals of the Fallopian tubes of a female having a uterus with a uterine cavity in communication with the canals of the Fallopian tubes, said uterus having a cervical opening in communication with the uterine cavity comprising: expandable means positionable in the uterine cavity adapted to be enlarged to substantially fill the uterine cavity, dispensing means supporting the expandable means and operable to dispense material into the uterine cavity in an area of the uterine cavity between the expandable means and the canals of the Fallopian tubes whereby said expandable means during the enlargement thereof moves the material from the uterine cavity into the canals of the Fallopian tubes, and means cooperating with said expandable means to support at least a part of said expandable means to prevent the expandable means from moving through the cervical opening leading to the uterine cavity during the enlargement of the expandable means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
An instrument for placing material into both canals of the Fallopian tubes of a female having a uterus with a uterine cavity in communication with the canals of the Fallopian tubes, said uterus having a cervical opening in communication with the uterine cavity comprising: expandable means positionable in the uterine cavity adapted to be enlarged to substantially fill the uterine cavity, dispensing means supporting the expandable means and operable to dispense material into the uterine cavity in an area of the uterine cavity between the expandable means and the canals of the Fallopian tubes whereby said expandable means during the enlargement thereof moves the material from the uterine cavity into the canals of the Fallopian tubes, and means cooperating with said expandable means to support at least a part of said expandable means to prevent the expandable means from moving through the cervical opening leading to the uterine cavity during the enlargement of the expandable means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The instrument of Claim 1 wherein: said expandable means comprises an expandable balloon having a flexible wall, said means cooperating with said expandable means including means associated with part of said flexible wall to limit expansion of said part of said wall to prevent said part of said wall from moving through the cervical opening leading to the uterine cavity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The instrument of Claim 2 wherein: said means cooperating with said expandable means includes a fabric structure, and means for securing the fabric structure to said port of said flexible wall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The instrument of Claim 3 wherein: said fabric structure comprises a network of elongated flexible filaments, scid filaments being secured to the part of said flexible wall by the means for securing the fabric structure to said part of said flexible wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The instrument of Claim 3 wherein: said fabric structure comprises a monofilament nylon mesh net.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
102 words
The instrument of Claim 1 wherein: said expandable means has a flexible wall adapted to enlarge to substantially fill the uterine cavity, said wall having a first section located adjacent to the cervical opening when the expandable means is located in the uterine cavity and a second section expandable toward the mouths of the canals of the Fallopian tubes, said means cooperating with said expandable means to support at least a part of said expandable means comprising flexible filament means associated with the first section of the wall, and means to secure the filament means to said first section of the wall.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
91 words
The instrument of Claim 6 wherein: said flexible wall when enlarged is a globular like body coinciding with the shape of the uterine cavity, said body having a first section located adjacent the cervical opening and extended into the uterine cavity and second section movable toward the mouths of the canals of the Fallopian tubes, said flexible filament means cooperating with at least a part of the first section to reinforce said part of the first section to prevent said part of the first section from moving through the cervical opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The instrument of Claim 7 wherein: said flexible filament means cooperates with less than one-half of the body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The instrument of Claim 6 wherein: the filament means comprise monofilament nylon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The instrument of Claim 6 wherein: the filament means comprise a nylon mesh net.
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