Urethra magnetic valve structure

Claim 2

A valve unit to be implanted in the urethra of a patient at the juncture of the urethra with the bladder to be operated by a magnetic force field generated by an external electromagnetic device for controlling the flow of urine through the urethra, the valve comprising an axially elongated hollow tubular housing of substantially cylindrical configuration having an upper spherical end and a lower open end, a valve assembly in the intermediate region of said housing including a centrally apertured annular valve seat member, a movable valve member below said valve seat member normally urged toward said valve seat member to closed position, a magnetic core member connected to said valve member and guided for movement in said housing to retract the valve member to open position responsive to a magnetic force field generated externally of the patient''s body, and a pair of radially inwardly deformable annular collars located on the exterior surface of said housing at axially spaced locations to assume relatively enlarged condition upon implanting of the valve unit in the urethra and provide retaining collars at the opposite ends of the urethra portion passing through the prostate gland to restrain the valve unit in implanted position, and the portion of said housing above the uppermost collar, defining a head portion having openings for passage of urine from the bladder into the interior of the housing, and a coupling ring at the lower end of said housing having an upwardly converging throat adjoining an upwardly facing annular restraining shoulder for removable coupling of an insertion and removing instrument therewith.

Claim 3

A valve unit as defined in claim 1, said collars being normally collapsed inflatable collars which are inflated after insertion to assume such relatively enlarged condition.

Claim 4

A valve unit as defined in claim 2, including conduit means interconnecting said pair of inflatable collars whereby inflating fluid may be introduced into and withdrawn from the lowermost collar for inflating or deflating both collars, said lowermost collar being self-sealing and being puncturable by a syringe needle for inflating and deflating the same.

Claim 5

A valve unit as defined in claim 1, including a centrally apertured valve retainer member below said valve seat member having openings for passage of urine therethrough when the valve is in open position, said movable valve member being located between said valve seat member and said valve retainer member.

Claim 6

A valve unit as defined in claim 4, wherein said collars are normally collapsed inflatable collars, and conduit means interconnecting said pair of inflatable collars whereby inflating fluid may be introduced into and withdrawn from the lowermost collar for inflating or deflating both collars, said lowermost collar being self-sealing and being puncturable by a syringe needle for inflating and deflating the same.

Claim 7

A valve unit as defined in claim 5 including tension spring means coupled at one end Thereof through the aperture in said valve seat member to said valve member and adjustably fastened at its other end to said housing for adjustment of the spring tension force tending to close said valve member against said valve seat member prior to implanting of the valve unit in the urethra.

Claim 8

A valve unit to be implanted in the urethra of a patient at the juncture of the urethra with the bladder to be operated by a magnetic force field generated by an external electromagnetic device for controlling the flow of urine through the urethra, the valve comprising an axially elongated hollow tubular housing of substantially cylindrical configuration having an upper spherical end and a lower open end, a valve assembly in the intermediate region of said housing including a centrally apertured annular valve seat member, a movable valve member below said valve seat member normally urged toward said valve seat member to closed position, a magnetic core member connected to said valve member and guided for movement in said housing to retract the valve member to open position responsive to a magnetic force field generated externally of the patient''s body, and a pair of radially inwardly deformable annular collars located on the exterior surface of said housing at axially spaced locations to assume relatively enlarged condition upon implanting of the valve unit in the urethra and provide retaining collars at the opposite ends of the urethra portion passing through the prostate gland to restrain the valve unit in implanted position, and the portion of said housing above the uppermost collar defining a head portion having openings for passage of urine from the bladder into the interior of said housing, a coupling ring at the lower end of said housing having an upwardly converging throat adjoining an upwardly facing annular restraining shoulder for removable coupling of an insertion and removing instrument therewith, an insertion and removing instrument including an elongated instrument tube having a convergently tapering leading end of truncated conical configuration, an expandable chuck at said leading end releasably coupled to said coupling ring and defining a cone which is an extension of said tapering leading end when in contracted condition and which is made up of conic segments which are radially outwardly movable to expanded position in said valve housing interlocking against said annular restraining shoulder of said coupling ring, spring wires in said instrument tube supporting said conic segments and normally urging them to said expanded position, and a contracting ring in said instrument tube surrounding said wires and mounted for reciprocation axially of the tube by a plunger to expand and contract the conic segments.

Claim 9

A valve unit to be implanted in the urethra of a patient at the juncture of the urethra with the bladder to be operated by a magnetic force field generated by an external electromagnetic device for controlling the flow of urine through the urethra, the valve comprising an axially elongated hollow tubular housing of substantially cylindrical configuration having an upper spherical end and a lower open end, a valve assembly in the intermediate region of said housing including a centrally apertured annular valve seat member, a movable valve member below said valve seat member normally urged toward said valve seat member to closed position, a magnetic core member connected to said valve member and guided for movement in said housing to retract the valve member to open position responsive to a magnetic force field generated externally of the patient''s body, and a pair of radially inwardly deformable annular collars located on the exterior surface of said housing at axially spaced locations to assume relatively enlarged condition upon implanting of the valve unit in the urethra and provide retaining collars at the opposite ends of the urethra portion passing through the prostate gland to restrain the valve unit in implanted position, and the portion of said housing above the uppermost collar defining a head portion having openings for passage of urine from the bladder into the interior of said housing, a coupling ring at the lower end of said housing having an upwardly converging throat adjoining an upwardly facing annular restraining shoulder for removable coupling of an insertion and removing instrument therewith, an insertion and removing instrument including an elongated instrument tube having a convergently tapering leading end of truncated conical configuration, an expandable chuck at said leading end releasably coupled to said coupling ring and defining a cone which is an extension of said tapering leading end when in contracted condition and which is made up of conic segments which are radially outwardly movable to expanded position in said valve housing interlocking against said annular restraining shoulder of said coupling ring, spring wires in said instrument tube supporting said conic segments and normally urging them to said expanded position, and a contracting ring in said instrument tube surrounding said wires and mounted for reciprocation axially of the tube by a plunger to expand and contract the conic segments.

Claim 10

A valve unit as defined in claim 7, wherein said collars are normally collapsed inflatable collars which are inflated after insertion to assume such relatively enlarged condition.

Claim 11

A valve unit as defined in claim 8, including conduit means interconnecting said pair of inflatable collars whereby inflating fluid may be introduced into and withdrawn from the lowermost collar for inflating or deflating both collars, said lowermost collar being self-sealing and being puncturable by a syringe needle for inflating and deflating the same.

Claim 12

A valve unit as defined in claim 7, wherein said collars are formed of resiliently deformable material normally elastically urged to selected radially enlarged annular formations and resiliently contractible to approximately flat condition adjacent the surface of said tubular housing.

Claim 13

A valve unit as defined in claim 7, including a centrally apertured valve retainer member below said valve seat member having openings for passage of uring therethrough when the valve is in open position, said movable valve member being located between said valve seat member and said valve retainer member.

Claim 14

A valve unit as defined in claim 11, wherein said collars are normally collapsed inflatable collars, conduiT means interconnecting said pair of inflatable collars whereby inflating fluid may be introduced into and withdrawn from the lowermost collar for inflating or deflating both collars, said lowermost collar being self-sealing and being puncturable by a syringe needle for inflating and deflating the same, and tension spring means coupled at one end of the valve unit through the aperture in said valve seat member to said valve member and adjustably fastened at its other end to said housing for adjustment of the spring tension force tending to close said valve member against said valve seat member prior to implanting of the valve unit in the urethra.