Muscle stimulators

Abstract

Abstract 1,145,749. Stimulating sphincter muscles. DEVICES Ltd. 4 Oct., 1967 [20 Oct., 1966], No. 47106/66. Heading ASR. A device for the stimulation of sphincter muscles (e.g. at the anus to control incontinence) comprises a capsule shaped in the form of an hour glass having at the neck of the hour glass two contacts 8, 9, or two series of contacts, positioned so as to be disposed on either side of the sphincter, there being a pulse-generating electronic circuit and one or more energising cells disposed within the capsule and connected to the contacts. As shown, for insertion into the anus, the capsule is of a synthetic resin material and contains five mercury cells 2 which power a transistorized pulse-generating circuit (Figure 4, not shown) having a potentiometer 11 controlling the voltage of the pulses delivered to the electrodes 8, 9. The cells are retained by a cap 6 screw-threaded on to the remainder of the capsule and the cells fit into a hollow formed in the capsule and optionally (as shown) in the cap 6. An orifice 5 allows the potentiometer to be adjusted while in position and a cord may be provided to assist in removing the capsule, the cord optionally being arranged to operate an on-off switch. The capsule may provide at least ten (e.g. 20) pulses per second, each of 1 millisecond duration, and each of 2-10 volts. It is stated that an alternative embodiment of the device may be arranged to control prolapse of the womb and female urinary incontinence.

Inventors

• 👤 John Kenny

Bibliographic Details