Patent ID: 11872395
Assignee: OBSTETRIC SOLUTIONS LLC
Field: Pharmaceuticals (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A pessary device to prevent the preterm birth of a fetus through the cervical canal, comprising:
a pliable ring having a lower edge and an upper edge and an outer surface between said lower and upper edges and an interior surface between said lower and upper edges;
a pliable hollow, open-ended sleeve having a lower edge and an upper edge and an outer surface between said lower and upper edges of said sleeve and an interior surface between said lower and upper edges of said sleeve, said outer surface of the sleeve proximate the lower edge of the sleeve tapers radially inwardly so that the portion of said sleeve proximate the lower edge of the sleeve being more pliable than the portion of the sleeve proximate the upper edge of the sleeve permitting the transfer of an elastic load to stabilize and occlude the cervical canal;
said sleeve generally supported within said ring and having a length between the lower and upper edges of the sleeve of between about 150% and about 200% of the length of said ring;
said sleeve further including a plurality of apertures providing communication between the outer and interior surfaces;
a biological beneficial medication coating the interior surface of said sleeve;
a pliable annular member having an outer edge and an inner edge, said outer edge of said annular member attached to the upper edge of said ring and the inner edge of said annular member attached to the upper edge of the sleeve supporting said sleeve within said ring, said annular member having a superior surface between the outer edge and inner edge of said annular member and an inferior surface opposite said superior surface, said superior surface being generally perpendicular with said outer surface of said ring; and
said pliable ring, pliable sleeve, and pliable annular member comprising medical-grade silicone,
wherein said pliable ring, sleeve, and annular member permit the pessary to be placed into a rolled circular configuration for insertion into the vagina so that upon final placement of the pessary within the vagina at least a portion of the interior surface of said sleeve contacts at least a portion of the cervix and at least a portion of the superior surface of said annular member and at least a portion of the outer surface of the ring contact at least a portion of the vagina.