The present disclosure relates generally to systems, components, devices and methods for assisting a patient to empty his or her weakened or paralyzed bladder or a neobladder efficiently. The system and method includes a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure in the urinary bladder of a patient and an alert mechanism which alerts the patient of the bladder fullness and the need to void. An actuating device is operably coupled to the system to selectively activate a compression assembly. When activated, the compression assembly compresses the bladder to permit emptying of the bladder.

An orthotopic artificial bladder endoprosthesis includes a casing made of a PGA fiber fabric; the casing having two first connectors for the connection with the ureters of a patient and a second connector for the connection with the urethra of a patient; a support element being inserted in the casing; the support element being switchable between an extended configuration, in which it supports and maintains in position the casing, and a retracted configuration.

A system for controlling a body part includes a number of sensing devices that sense signals from a hemisphere of a brain. A signal translating unit translates the signals into a command signal for controlling the body part, which is on a same side of the body as the hemisphere of the brain. A prosthetic device receives the command signal from the signal translating unit and manipulates the body part in response to the command signal.

A catheter assembly includes a catheter, a fluid containing sleeve, and a container. The catheter may include a tubular portion between a proximal end and a distal end, a coating on a length of the tubular portion, and at least one drainage opening on the distal end. The fluid containing sleeve is designed for arrangement on the tubular portion to maintain the coating in a hydrated state. The container may have at least one foil inner layer containing therein the catheter and the fluid containing sleeve. Substantially or nearly all fluid contained in the container may be disposed in the fluid containing sleeve.

An orthotopic artificial bladder endoprosthesis includes a casing made of a PGA fiber fabric; the casing having two first connectors for the connection with the ureters of a patient and a further connector for the connection with the urethra of a patient; an inflatable element inserted in the casing; the inflatable element being switchable between an inflated configuration, in which it supports and maintains in position the casing, and a deflated configuration.

Provided is a ureteral stent for placement in a bladder, a kidney and a ureteral passageway connecting the bladder and the kidney. The ureteral stent includes a solid bladder portion free of a lumen positionable in the bladder, a tubular kidney portion positionable in the kidney and the ureteral passageway, and a tether connecting the bladder portion and the ureter portion to allow the bladder portion to float in the bladder and to allow a ureter orifice connecting the ureteral passageway to the bladder to move between a compressed state and an uncompressed state. By not having a lumen, the solid bladder portion allows the bladder to have a smaller diameter while maintaining a necessary uncoil force. The smaller diameter also allows the bladder portion to be inserted into a scope alongside a pusher tube, thereby avoiding loading the bladder portion onto a guidewire.

Drug delivery devices are provided herein and include an elongated, elastic body extending between a first end and a second end, wherein the elastic body comprises a water permeable wall structure having defining an elongated drug reservoir lumen extending between the first and second ends. One or more secondary lumens are structured (e.g., positioned, sized, shaped, and optionally filled) to be effective to retard or prevent in vivo diffusion of (i) water into the drug reservoir lumen and/or (ii) solubilized drug out of the drug reservoir lumen.

An artificial bladder system including an implantable bladder, a valve, a number of sensors, and an alert mechanism. The implantable bladder includes an outer wall forming a chamber for collecting urine of a user, the outer wall including inflow openings and an outflow opening. The valve is integrated with the outflow opening to selectively allow urine to flow from the chamber through the outflow opening. The sensors are configured to detect a urine level in the chamber. The alert mechanism is configured to generate a sensory output to alert the user that the bladder should be emptied upon detection of the urine level in the chamber by one of the sensors.

An pressure attenuation device for use in a body can include a balloon comprising an outer wall and defining an interior chamber therein. The balloon can be configured to elastically deform up to at least to an internal pressure of 90 cm H2O. A high vapor pressure media having a vapor pressure of between 155 cm-185 cm H2O at 37 degrees Celsius can be positioned within the interior chamber. The balloon can have a minimum wall thickness of between 0.001 inches-0.00175 inches.

An apparatus for treating a urinary retention of a patient by discharging urine from a mammal urinary bladder through a mammal urethra. The apparatus comprises an expandable member adapted to be implanted inside the urinary bladder of the patient, a control device adapted to control the volume of the expandable member for emptying the mammal urinary bladder, and an implantable restriction devices adapted to close each ureter of a patient when discharging urine from the urinary bladder.