IMPLANT AND HANDHELD MEDICAL DEVICE

Abstract

An implant and a handheld medical device using which the implant may be removed particularly easily and without traumatizing the patient. This is achieved in that a proximal end of an implant has a coupling part having a ferromagnetic element, the implant being able to be withdrawn from the urethra via this coupling part.

Claims

1. An implant for expanding a urethra of a person by means of application of a local ischemic pressure to the tissue of the urethra by a wire structure having at least two wires, the implant being insertable having a distal end in front into the urethra, wherein a proximal end of the implant has a coupling part having a ferromagnetic element, the implant being able to be withdrawn from the urethra via this coupling part.

2. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic element is a permanent magnet.

3. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic element is the coupling part.

4. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic element is integrated in the coupling part part.

5. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling part has at least one projection, one slot, one notch, one bore, one pin, or the like as mechanical coupling means.

6. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling part has a circular cross section or a cross section in the form of a segment of a circle.

7. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sensor and/or a data memory is arranged in the coupling part.

8. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling part is produced from a plastic.

9. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling part is connected via a wire or a thread or directly to the wire structure.

10. A handheld medical device for positioning and retrieving an implant in a urethra or out of a urethra, respectively, having a rod which is insertable into a catheter the rod having a coupling counterpart at a distal end and the implant being designed as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling counterpart has a ferromagnetic counter element for coupling with a coupling part of the implant.

11. The handheld medical device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the ferromagnetic counter element is a permanent magnet.

12. The handheld medical device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the ferromagnetic counter element is the coupling counterpart.

13. The handheld medical device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the ferromagnetic counter element is integrated in the coupling counterpart.

14. The handheld medical device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the coupling counterpart has at least one projection, one slot, one notch, one bore, one pin, or the like as mechanical coupling means, this coupling means being complementary to the coupling means of the coupling part.

15. The handheld medical device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the coupling part of the implant and the coupling counterpart have a common circle-like or circular cross section in the assembled state.

16. The handheld medical device as claimed in claim 10, wherein a sensor and/or a data memory is arranged in the coupling counterpart.

17. The handheld medical device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the coupling counterpart is produced from a plastic.

Description

[0020] One preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention is explained in more detail hereinafter on the basis of the drawing, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1a shows a schematic illustration of an implant,

[0022] FIG. 1b shows a schematic illustration of a further exemplary embodiment of an implant,

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a handheld medical device,

[0024] FIG. 3a shows a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a coupling mechanism,

[0025] FIG. 3b shows a further schematic illustration of the coupling mechanism according to FIG. 3a,

[0026] FIG. 4a shows a first schematic illustration of a coupling procedure,

[0027] FIG. 4b shows a second schematic illustration of the coupling procedure, and

[0028] FIG. 4c shows a third schematic illustration of the coupling procedure.

[0029] Possible exemplary embodiments of the invention are schematically shown in the figures. It is to be expressly noted that the invention is not to be restricted to these exemplary embodiments. Rather, it is provided that the invention is also implementable by other embodiments.

[0030] An implant 10 is illustrated very schematically in FIG. 1a. This implant 10 consists of a wire structure 11, consisting of three individual wires 12. These wires 12 are connected to one another at a distal end 13 and a proximal end 14 of the implant 10. The wires 12 are produced from a shape memory material, such as Nitinol.

[0031] For the treatment, the implant 10 is inserted by a catheter (not shown) in the collapsed state into the urethra of the patient. At the correct position, the wires 12 unfold to form the basket structure shown in FIG. 1a. In addition to the structure illustrated here by way of example, a multiplicity of further shapes is conceivable. Reference is made to the prior art for a further description of the wire structure 11.

[0032] For the placement and for the retrieval of the implant 10, it has a coupling part 15 at the proximal end 14. This coupling part 15 is connected via a thread 16 to a proximal end piece 17 of the implant 10. Alternatively to the thread 16, it is also conceivable to use a thin wire. The thread 16 is 1 mm to 10 mm or 5 mm long. A further exemplary embodiment provides that the coupling part 15 is directly connected to the proximal end piece 17 (FIG. 1b).

[0033] The coupling part 15 has a ferromagnetic element 18. This ferromagnetic element 18 can be a metal, in particular iron, nickel, or cobalt or a magnetizable alloy or a permanent magnet. A further exemplary embodiment of the invention can provide that the entire coupling part 15 is formed as a ferromagnetic element 18 or as a permanent magnet. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1a, the ferromagnetic element 18 is formed as a bar magnet integrated in the coupling part 15. This bar magnet is, for example, embedded during an injection-molding method in a plastic of the coupling part 15. In this molding method, it is also conceivable that the thread 16 is also embedded. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the thread 16 is connected later to the coupling part 15.

[0034] The exemplary embodiment of the coupling part 15 illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 1b additionally has a notch 19. This notch 19 is used as mechanical coupling means. In addition to this notch 19 or alternatively to this notch 19, the coupling part 15 can also have a projection, a slot, a bore, or a pin for a mechanical coupling or contacting.

[0035] The implant 10 is coupled to a handheld medical device 20 for the placement and/or retrieval. This handheld medical device 20 is inserted by a catheter 21 into the urethra, as schematically shown in FIG. 2. In this case, the handheld medical device 20 essentially consists of a rod 22, which has a coupling counterpart 24 at a distal end 23. This coupling counterpart 24 is formed complementary to the coupling part 15. The coupling counterpart 24 thus also has a ferromagnetic counter element 25. This ferromagnetic counter element 25 forms a magnetic interaction with the ferromagnetic element 18 of the coupling part 15. For this purpose, it can be formed as a magnetizable metal or as a permanent magnet. If the ferromagnetic element 18 and the ferromagnetic counter element 25 are both formed as permanent magnets, they are oriented in such a way that their polarization is opposing. An attractive magnetic interaction can thus form between the coupling part 15 and the coupling counterpart 24.

[0036] A further exemplary embodiment can provide that the ferromagnetic counter element 25 is formed as an electromagnet, which can be switched on and off via the rod 22. In addition, the polarization of the electromagnet may be changed, so that either an attractive or repellent force can be exerted on the ferromagnetic element 18 or the coupling part 15.

[0037] The coupling counterpart 24 additionally has a tooth-like projection 26. This tooth-like projection 26 is formed complementary to the notch 19 of the coupling part 15. This projection 26 also represents only one of many possible exemplary embodiments. It is thus also conceivable here that alternatively to the projection 26, the coupling counterpart 24 has a slot, a bore, a notch, a pin, or the like.

[0038] In FIG. 3a, the coupling part 15 and the coupling counterpart 24 are shown adjacent to one another without the implant 10 or without the rod 22, respectively, for better illustration. In this position, the ferromagnetic element 18 and the ferromagnetic counter element 25, which are both stylized as permanent magnets, have an attractive effect on one another. This attractive force helps the user of the coupling counterpart 24 to contact with the coupling part 15. As soon as these two parts 15, 24 come into contact with one another, locking of the projection 26 with the notch 19 occurs. This contacting is retained by the permanent magnets. In this coupling state, which is shown very schematically in FIG. 3b, the implant 10 may be both placed in the urethra and retrieved from the urethra by the catheter in a very simple and accurate manner. The coupling part 15 and the coupling counterpart 24 form a circular cross section in the coupled state. Both can thus be pulled together into the catheter 21. The coupling is thus secured against radial displacement in the interior of the catheter 21. It is thus possible to pull with greater force without inadvertently detaching the magnetic coupling.

[0039] Due to the minor magnetic interaction between the two permanent magnets, the handheld medical device 20 may be removed from the coupling part 15 after the placement of the implant 10 by minor force action or by a slight rotation of the rod 22. To retrieve the implant 10, it is drawn out through the catheter by means of the handheld medical device 20. At the same time, the wire structure 11 collapses in such a way that it fits into the catheter 21.

[0040] To make this procedure particularly gentle to the body, it is additionally provided that a common cross section of the coupling part 15 and of the coupling counterpart 24 is circular or circle-like. An adaptation to the anatomical conditions can thus take place and the placement or retrieval can be carried out without traumatization of the urethra.

[0041] A further exemplary embodiment for a coupling part 27 and a coupling counterpart 28 is shown in FIGS. 4a to 4c. For the sake of clarity, the illustration of the implant 10 and of the rod 22 was also omitted here. Precisely as described above, both the coupling part 27 and the coupling counterpart 28 has a ferromagnetic element 18 and a ferromagnetic counter element 25, both being formed as permanent magnets having an opposing polarization. While the coupling part 27 has an indentation 29, the coupling counterpart 28 has a corresponding hook structure 30, which corresponds in a complementary manner to the shape of the indentation 29.

[0042] As schematically illustrated in FIG. 4a, the coupling counterpart 28 is attracted by the coupling part 27 in arrow direction 31 due to the magnetic interaction. As soon as the hook structure 30 has been guided into the vicinity or into the indentation 29, the coupling part 27 or the rod 22 is pulled in arrow direction 32 in the proximal direction (FIG. 4b). A mechanical and magnetic connection is formed here between the coupling part 27 and the coupling counterpart 28 (FIG. 4c). In this constellation, the implant may be both placed in a very simple and gentle manner in the urethra and retrieved from the urethra again. The above-described steps are to be carried out in the reverse sequence to decouple the coupling counterpart 28 from the coupling part 27.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0043] 10 implant

[0044] 11 wire structure

[0045] 12 wire

[0046] 13 distal end

[0047] 14 proximal end

[0048] 15 coupling part

[0049] 16 thread

[0050] 17 end piece

[0051] 18 element

[0052] 19 notch

[0053] 20 handheld medical device

[0054] 21 catheter

[0055] 22 rod

[0056] 23 distal end

[0057] 24 coupling counterpart

[0058] 25 counter element

[0059] 26 projection

[0060] 27 coupling part

[0061] 28 coupling counterpart

[0062] 29 indentation

[0063] 30 hook structure

[0064] 31 arrow direction

[0065] 32 arrow direction