URETHRAL BARRIER DEVICE AND METHOD OF USE

Abstract

A urethral barrier device for preventing urinary tract infections includes a patch, which has a size and a shape allowing it to be positionable on a vestibule between labia minora and between a vaginal opening and a clitoris of a vulva. The patch thus overlays an external urethral orifice of a urethra without the patch impeding access to the vaginal opening or the clitoris. The patch comprises an upper layer and a lower layer. The upper layer comprises elastomer and thus is impervious to bacteria. The lower layer comprises adhesive and adhesively attaches the patch to the vestibule with the patch extending over the external urethral orifice. The patch prevents bacteria from entering the urethra through the external urethral orifice during sexual intercourse, thereby preventing a urinary tract infection.

Claims

1. A urethral barrier device comprising: a patch having a size and a shape, the size and shape being such that the patch is positionable on a vestibule between labia minora and between a vaginal opening and a clitoris of a vulva such that the patch overlays an external urethral orifice of a urethra and without the patch impeding access to the vaginal opening or the clitoris, the patch comprising: an upper layer comprising elastomer such that the upper layer is impervious to bacteria; and a lower layer being coextensive with the upper layer and comprising adhesive, wherein the lower layer is configured for adhesively attaching the patch to the vestibule such that the patch extends over the external urethral orifice, wherein the patch is configured for preventing bacteria from entering a urethra through the external urethral orifice during sexual intercourse.

2. The urethral barrier device of claim 1, wherein the shape is substantially square.

3. The urethral barrier device of claim 2, wherein corners of the patch are convexly arcuate.

4. The urethral barrier device of claim 1, wherein the size is from 2.0 to 12.0 cm.sup.2.

5. The urethral barrier device of claim 1, wherein the size is from 4.0 to 10.0 cm.sup.2.

6. The urethral barrier device of claim 1, wherein the upper layer is substantially impermeable to water.

7. The urethral barrier device of claim 1, wherein the upper layer comprises polyurethane.

8. The urethral barrier device of claim 1, wherein the lower layer comprises a hydrogel adhesive.

9. The urethral barrier device of claim 1, further including the patch comprising a colloidal layer sandwiched between the upper layer and the lower layer, the colloidal layer comprising a medicant, such that the medicant is delivered through the lower layer to one or both of the vestibule and the urethra.

10. The urethral barrier device of claim 9, wherein the medicant comprises one or more of a beneficial microorganism, an essential oil, a polyphenol, and a flavonoid.

11. The urethral barrier device of claim 10, wherein the medicant comprises witch-hazel extract.

12. The urethral barrier device of claim 10, wherein the medicant comprises one or more lactobacillus species to inoculate the urethra with the one or more lactobacillus species.

13. The urethral barrier device of claim 12, wherein the one or more lactobacillus species are present as dehydrated granules in the colloidal layer.

14. The urethral barrier device of claim 1, further including a cover panel being reversibly attached to the lower layer for preventing inadvertent adhesion of the patch, wherein the cover panel is configured for being separated from the patch for enabling attachment of the patch to the vestibule.

15. A method of preventing entry of microbes into a urethra during sexual intercourse, the method comprising providing the device of claim 1, and: spreading the labia minora to expose a vestibule of a vulva and an external urethral orifice of a urethra, positioning the patch between the labia minora and between a vaginal opening and a clitoris of the vulva such that the patch overlays the external urethral orifice; pressing the patch against the vestibule so that the adhesive attaches the patch to the vestibule without the patch impeding access to the vaginal opening or the clitoris; engaging in sexual intercourse; and removing and disposing of the patch.

16. The method of claim 15, further including: providing a sanitizing wipe and a sterile gauze; and the method including the following preparatory steps prior to attaching the patch to the vestibule: wiping the vestibule and the labia minora with the sanitizing wipe; and drying the vestibule and the labia minora with the sterile gauze.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0012] The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a top isometric perspective view of a urethral barrier device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a bottom isometric perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 4 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 5 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram for a method utilizing an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new barrier device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0020] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the urethral barrier device 10 generally comprises a patch 12, which has a size and a shape allowing the patch 12 to be positionable on a vestibule 14 between labia minora 16 and between a vaginal opening 18 and a clitoris 20 of a vulva 22. The patch 12 thus overlays an external urethral orifice 24 of a urethra 26 without the patch 12 impeding access to the vaginal opening 18 or the clitoris 20. The shape of the patch 12 typically is substantially square, as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein corners 28 of the patch 12 are convexly arcuate. Alternative shapes of the patch 12 also are anticipated by the present invention, such as, but not limited to, circular, ovoid, triangular, or the like. The size of the patch 12 is from 2.0 to 12.0 cm.sup.2 and typically is from 4.0 to 10.0 cm.sup.2. The patch 12 may be provided in a variety of sizes to complement vulva 22 of a variety of sizes. As will become apparent, the patch 12 being low profile and conformable to contours of the vulva 22 will render is less noticeable during sexual intercourse. The patch 12 also may be manufactured in a variety of colors so a respective color matching a skin tone of the user can be selected.

[0021] The patch 12 comprises an upper layer 30 and a lower layer 32. The upper layer 30 comprises elastomer and thus is impervious to bacteria. The upper layer 30 also may be substantially impermeable to water and comprise polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, or the like. The lower layer 32 is coextensive with the upper layer 30 and comprises adhesive, such as a hydrogel adhesive 34, which are well known to those skilled in the art of adhesives for medical use. The lower layer 32 is configured to adhesively attach the patch 12 to the vestibule 14 with the patch 12 extending over the external urethral orifice 24. The patch 12 sealably closes the external urethral orifice 24 and thus is configured to prevent bacteria from entering the urethra 26 during sexual intercourse, thereby preventing or reducing risk of a urinary tract infection.

[0022] The patch 12 also may comprise a colloidal layer 36, which is sandwiched between the upper layer 30 and the lower layer 32. The colloidal layer 36 comprises a medicant 38, which is delivered through the lower layer 32 to one or both of the vestibule 14 and the urethra 26. The medicant 38 comprises one or more of a beneficial microorganism, an essential oil, a polyphenol, and a flavonoid. The medicant 38 may comprise witch-hazel extract 40. The medicant 38 may comprise one or more lactobacillus species 42 to inoculate the urethra 26 with the one or more lactobacillus species. The one or more lactobacillus species 42 typically are present as dehydrated granules in the colloidal layer 36.

[0023] As is shown in FIG. 2, a cover panel 44 is reversibly attached to the lower layer 32 to prevent inadvertent adhesion of the patch 12. The cover panel 44 is configured to be separated from the patch 12 to enable attachment of the patch 12 to the vestibule 14.

[0024] The urethral barrier device 10 enables a method of preventing entry of microbes into a urethra during sexual intercourse 46. The method 46 comprises providing the urethral barrier device 10, according to the specification above. A first step 48 of the method 46 is spreading labia minora 16 to expose a vestibule 14 of a vulva 22 and an external urethral orifice 24 of a urethra 26. A second step 50 of the method 46 is positioning the patch 12 between the labia minora 16 and between a vaginal opening 18 and a clitoris 20 of the vulva 22 so that the patch 12 overlays the external urethral orifice 24. A third step 52 of the method 46 is pressing the patch 12 against the vestibule 14 so that the adhesive attaches the patch 12 to the vestibule 14 without the patch 12 impeding access to the vaginal opening 18 or the clitoris 20. A fourth step 54 of the method 46 is engaging in sexual intercourse. A fifth step 56 of the method 46 is removing and disposing of the patch 12.

[0025] The method 46 also may entail provision of a sanitizing wipe (not shown) and a sterile gauze (not shown). The method 46 then would include a first preparatory step, prior to attachment of the patch 12, of wiping the vestibule 14 and the labia minora 16 with the sanitizing wipe. A second preparatory step would be drying the vestibule 14 and the labia minora 16 with the sterile gauze, at which point the patch 12 is attached to the vestibule 14.

[0026] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0027] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word comprising is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article a does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.