Provided is a perineal probe including a substantially cylindrical support rod in an insulating material, defining an axial direction and a circumferential direction, an end portion, constituting the inner end of said support rod, a grip for said perineal probe positioned on the support rod at the opposite end of said end portion, four electrodes positioned on the outer surface of the support rod, wherein each electrode extends for a circumferential portion ranging from 60 to 180, wherein the electrodes are two by two aligned in an axial direction and reciprocally distanced in a circumferential direction, are in addition two by two aligned in a circumferential direction and distanced in an axial direction, and wherein each electrode is connected to a different electric output.

Devices for treating or managing fecal or bowel incontinence and methods employing them. Such a device can form a seal with at least a portion of the bowel to prevent unwanted discharge of fecal matter from the rectum. Such a device can include an elastomeric skin having a bulbous portion. Such a device can include a grip configured to remain exterior to the subject.

The invention relates to a method for estimating a value representative of a first pressure, the first pressure being a fluid pressure in an inflatable element (3) of an implantable medical device (10) comprising a fluid reservoir (5) having a selectively variable volume, the reservoir (5) being able to deform under the effect of a variation in atmospheric pressure, and the inflatable element (3) being in fluid communication with the reservoir (5). The method comprises the steps, implemented by a data processing and control unit (200) of the device, of: a) determining a value representative of a second pressure, the second pressure being a fluid pressure in the reservoir (5); b) estimating the value representative of the first pressure from the value representative of the second pressure and from a parameter (L) that is dependent on a value representative of a maximum variation in fluid pressure in the inflatable element (3) caused by a variation in atmospheric pressure.

An apparatus includes a plurality of beads, and a linking assembly. Each bead in the plurality of beads includes at least one magnet and a unibody housing encasing and sealing the at least one magnet. The unibody housing includes a magnetically inert material being formed of a particulate powder composition. The linking assembly joins the beads together such that the beads and the linking assembly in arranged in an annular arrangement sized to form a loop around an anatomical structure of a patient. The loop may transition between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration while being magnetically biased toward the contracted configuration by a magnetic bias of the beads.

An apparatus includes a plurality of beads. Each bead includes a housing and a magnet positioned within the housing. The apparatus also includes a plurality of interconnection elements. Each interconnection element movably joins together a corresponding pair of beads. The plurality of beads and the plurality of interconnection elements are sized and configured to form an expandable loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The apparatus further includes a decoupling element. The decoupling element is positioned along the loop and is configured to selectively release a first portion of the loop from a second portion of the loop in response to application of a threshold force to the at least one decoupling element in a circumferential direction relative to the loop.

A method of side-suturing a prosthetic to human tissue is disclosed. The method includes accessing a surgical site on a body portion of a patient; identifying the human tissue within the surgical site; endomechanically positioning the prosthetic adjacent the human tissue within the surgical site; aligning a surgical tool proximate the tissue with the prosthetic between the tool and the tissue, the surgical tool having an elongated member with distal and proximal ends; actuating the surgical tool in-situ to drive deployment members of the surgical tool outwardly away from the surgical tool, through the prosthetic and into the tissue; and retracting the deployment members back into the surgical tool, whereby the deployment members deploy a fastener to fixatedly suspend the prosthetic to the human tissue.