IMPLANT

Abstract

An implant for efficient and gentle treatment of the urinary tract. This is achieved in that an implant has a pressure means structure, which is constructed from at least two pressure means. These pressure means are of rod-like design and exert a local ischemic pressure on the tissue of the urethra. In addition, the pressure means are secured with their distal ends on a common distal connecting body and with their proximal ends on a common proximal connecting body, wherein the distal connecting body is secured in a fixed manner to a tightening means and the proximal connecting body is movably mounted on the tightening means.

Claims

1. An implant for widening a urethra of a person by applying a local ischemic pressure to the tissue of the urethra, having a pressure means structure, which has at least two pressure means, wherein the implant can be introduced into the urethra with a distal end leading, wherein the pressure means are secured with their distal ends on a common distal connecting body and with their proximal ends on a common proximal connecting body, wherein the distal connecting body is secured in a fixed manner to a tightening means and the proximal connecting body is movably mounted on the tightening means.

2. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure means structure has three pressure means.

3. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure means are wires, wires made from a spring steel, stainless steel wires, plastic rods, rods made from a biodegradable material, or rods made from a material having a shape memory.

4. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tightening means is a thread, a wire, a stainless steel wire, a plastic rod, a thread or a rod made from a biodegradable material, a rod or a wire having a screw thread or a rod or a wire having latching projections or notches.

5. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the proximal connecting body can be fixed, latched, clamped, screwed, twisted, crimped or the like on the tightening means in order to keep the distance between the distal connecting body and the proximal connecting body constant.

6. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the proximal connecting body has a latching means, a latching projection, a latching nose, a wedge, a closure or the like, in order to enter into a connection, in particular a releasable connection, connection with the tightening means.

7. The implant as claimed in claim 6, wherein the latching means, the latching projection, the latching nose, the wedge, the closure or the like is produced from a biodegradable material.

8. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the proximal connecting body has a bore, a bore having an internal thread, a notch, a guide or a gap, through which the tightening means can be passed.

9. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure means structure can be expanded by shortening the distance between the distal connecting body and the proximal connecting body on the tightening means, with the distances between the pressure means increasing.

10. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure means each have one, two or more inflection points about which the pressure means can be bent.

11. The implant as claimed in claim 1, wherein two pressure means structures, namely a distal pressure means structure and a proximal pressure means structure, are arranged one behind the other on the tightening means, wherein the pressure means of the two pressure means structures are secured in a common central connecting body, and the distal pressure means structure has the distal connecting body and the proximal pressure means structure has the proximal connecting body.

12. The implant as claimed in claim 11, wherein the distal pressure means structure and the proximal pressure means structure each have a distal connecting body and a proximal connecting body, and both the distal pressure means structure and the proximal pressure means structure have a tightening means, thus enabling the pressure means structures to be tightened independently of one another in accordance with the directions of the arrows.

Description

[0016] A preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the drawing. In this drawing:

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an implant in a first position,

[0018] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the implant according to FIG. 1 in a second position,

[0019] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of the implant according to FIG. 1 in a third position,

[0020] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a further exemplary embodiment of an implant,

[0021] FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a further exemplary embodiment of an implant, and

[0022] FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of a further exemplary embodiment of an implant.

[0023] One possible exemplary embodiment of an implant 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1. It should be expressly pointed out that this example is only one of many conceivable embodiments. The invention envisages that all components can be designed in different ways.

[0024] The exemplary embodiment of the implant 10 which is illustrated in FIG. 1 has a pressure means structure 11 with three pressure means 12. These pressure means 12 are advantageously wires made from stainless steel, a spring steel or a material with a shape memory. Alternatively, it is also conceivable for the pressure means 12 to be plastic rods. Thus, in a particularly advantageous exemplary embodiment, it is envisaged that the plastic is biodegradable. The implant 10 thus dissolves at least partially after some time in the body, and therefore further intervention to recover the implant 10 is not necessary. In addition to the exemplary embodiment illustrated here, it is also conceivable for the pressure means structure 11 to have more than three pressure means 12. However, it has been found that three pressure means 12 are particularly suitable for manipulating the tissue of the urethra.

[0025] According to the invention, the distal ends 13 of the pressure means 12 are connected to a common distal connecting body 14. This distal connecting body 14 has a rounded portion on the distal side, thus enabling the implant 10 to be introduced into the human body without serious traumatization. The distal ends 13 of the pressure means 12 are inserted, glued or cast into the connecting body 14.

[0026] The opposite proximal ends 15 of the pressure means 12 are connected to a common proximal connecting body 16. In the figures, this proximal connecting body 16 is shown as a ball, but can also have any other shape. The proximal ends 15 of the pressure means 12 are connected to the proximal connecting body 16 in the same way as the distal ends 13 of the pressure means 12 are connected to the distal connecting body 14.

[0027] The distal connecting body 14 is also connected in a fixed manner to a tightening means 17. This tightening means 17 can be designed as a thread or as a wire. It is also conceivable for the tightening means 17 to be designed as a rod or pin. According to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the tightening means 17 of the implant 10 is passed through the proximal connecting body 15. However, it is also conceivable for the tightening means 17 to be guided along the proximal connecting body 16. In the figures, only a section of the tightening means 17 is shown. The tightening means 17 ending at the right-hand edge is substantially longer, thus enabling it also to be passed out of the body. According to the invention, the tightening means 17, which is designed as a thread or wire, can be moved back and forth along the double arrow 18. By pulling on the tightening means 17 in the proximal direction, the distal connecting body 14 is pulled in the direction of the proximal connecting body 16, the distance between the two connecting bodies 14, 16 being reduced (FIG. 3). To reduce the distance between the connecting bodies 14, 16, it is necessary to work against the mechanical stress energy of the pressure means 12. As can be seen in FIG. 3, but also already in FIG. 1, the distance between the two connecting bodies 14, 16 is inversely proportional to the bending of the pressure means 12. While, in FIG. 1, the pressure means 12 are only slightly bent or curved, the bending of the pressure means 12 in FIG. 3 can be described as very pronounced. By pulling further on the tightening means 17 in the direction of the arrow 19, the pressure means 12 can be bent even further.

[0028] In this stressed state of the implant 10, a spring force or restoring force acts continuously on the two connecting bodies 14, 16. Without a corresponding counterforce, the distal connecting body 14 is pressed in the direction of the arrow 20 by the proximal connecting body 16 (FIG. 2). In addition, a pressure force can be exerted on the distal connecting body 14 in the direction of the arrow 20 via the tightening means 17, with the result that the pressure means 12 are aligned almost completely straight and parallel to one another. In this state, the implant 10 has the smallest cross section.

[0029] For the treatment of BPH syndromes, the implant 10 is introduced into the body of the patient in the state illustrated in FIG. 2. As soon as the implant 10 is correctly positioned, the wire structure 11 is expanded by exerting a mechanical pull on the tightening means 17 in the direction of the arrow 19. To ensure, in particular, that the proximal connecting body 16 remains in its position, it is conceivable for the implant 10 to have an anchor structure (not illustrated), by means of which the implant 10 or the proximal connecting body 16 is held in its position. Should the implant 10 move out of the optimum position while the pressure means structure 11 is being expanded, the implant 10 can be moved back into the correct position.

[0030] As soon as the pressure means structure 11 has reached the optimum shape or expansion for the treatment of the tissue, the tightening means 17 is fixed by the proximal connecting body 16. For this purpose, the tightening means 17 is pulled a short distance in the distal direction on account of the spring stress of the pressure means 12, in order to latch immediately within the proximal connecting body. For this purpose, the proximal connecting body 16 can have corresponding latching means, barbs, hooks or the like. These latching means engage directly in the tightening means 17. It is envisaged according to the invention that the tightening means 17 has corresponding or complementary projections, notches or the like. Further expansion of the pressure means structure 11 in the direction of the arrow 19 is possible as before. To relax the pressure means structure 11, the latches must be released, or the tightening means 17 must be severed between the two connecting bodies 14, 16.

[0031] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the pressure means 12 can be tightened not in the form of an arc but in the form of a trapezoid. For this purpose, the pressure means 12 each have two inflection points 24. It is conceivable in this exemplary embodiment for the pressure means 12 to be designed as rods made from plastic, which have a notch or a taper or weakening, which serve as inflection points 24. This exemplary embodiment proves to be particularly advantageous since, as a result of the expansion of the pressure means structure 11, straight flanks 28 of the pressure means 12, which are aligned parallel to the tightening means 17, are pressed against the tissue. As a result, it is possible to produce a channel-like passage through the urethra in a particularly efficient way.

[0032] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a further exemplary embodiment of the implant 10 according to the invention. In this case, it is envisaged that two pressure means structures, namely a distal pressure means structure 21 and a proximal pressure means structure 22, are arranged one behind the other on the tightening means 17. These combined pressure means structures 21, 22 function in the same way as described in relation to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3. The tightening means 17 is connected to the distal connecting body 14 and can be latched in the proximal connecting body 16. In addition, the tightening means 17 runs through a central connecting body 23, on which the proximal and distal ends of the pressure means structures 21, 22, respectively, are also secured. By pulling on the tightening means 17 in the direction of the arrow 18, this double structure can be expanded or relaxed. By virtue of the two pressure means structures 21, 22, the tissue can be treated in a very targeted manner and over a larger section.

[0033] FIG. 6 illustrates a similar exemplary embodiment of the implant 10 to that in FIG. 5. However, in this exemplary embodiment, both the distal pressure means structure 21 and the proximal pressure means structure 22 have a distal connecting body 14 and a proximal connecting body 16. In addition, the two pressure means structures 21 and 22 each have a tightening means 17, 27, by means of which the pressure means structures 21, 22 can be expanded and relaxed independently of one another. By means of this targeted expansion or relaxation of two pressure means structures 21, 22, the treatment of the urethra can take place in different ways at different points. Thus, it is conceivable, for example, for the distal pressure means structure 21 to be expanded to a greater extent, using the tightening means 17, than the proximal pressure means structure 22, using the tightening means 27. Both pressure means structures 22, 23 can be moved independently of one another in the direction of the arrows 25, 26. Likewise, it is of course conceivable for more than two pressure means structures to be positioned one behind the other on tightening means in order to be able to treat the urethra in a targeted manner over a longer length.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0034] 10 implant [0035] 11 pressure means structure [0036] 12 pressure means [0037] 13 distal end [0038] 14 distal connecting body [0039] 15 proximal end [0040] 16 proximal connecting body [0041] 17 tightening means [0042] 18 double arrow [0043] 19 direction of arrow [0044] 20 direction of arrow [0045] 21 distal pressure means structure [0046] 22 proximal pressure means structure [0047] 23 central connecting body [0048] 24 inflection point [0049] 25 direction of arrow [0050] 26 direction of arrow [0051] 27 tightening means [0052] 28 flank