Patent ID: 9277884
Filing Date: 2016-03-08
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. A component, comprising: a vacuum chamber having a wall and having an interior volume, the vacuum chamber having a proximal opening defined by a rounded, thickened edge of the wall of the vacuum chamber, the proximal opening being configured to engage with tissue proximate to a subject's urethra, the vacuum chamber having a port configured to engage with a vacuum source that is configured to effect a vacuum in the interior volume of the vacuum chamber, the vacuum chamber further comprising a urethral engagement conduit having a wall and the urethral engagement conduit extending through the interior volume of the vacuum chamber, the urethral engagement conduit having a proximal opening defined by a rounded, thickened edge of the wall of the urethral engagement conduit, the proximal opening being configured to engage the tissue proximate to the subject's urethra such that the urethra is placed into fluid communication with the urethral engagement conduit, the interior volume of the vacuum chamber being defined between the wall of the vacuum chamber and the wall of the urethral engagement conduit, the rounded, thickened edge of the proximal opening of the vacuum chamber and the rounded, thickened edge of the proximal opening of the urethral engagement conduit extending towards one another and defining an annular gap therebetween, the annular gap placing the interior volume of the vacuum chamber into fluid communication with the environment exterior to interior volume of the vacuum chamber, the annular gap being dimensioned so as to enable passage of the tissue proximate to the subject's urethra through the annular gap and into the vacuum chamber upon application of a first level of vacuum within the vacuum chamber, and the annular gap being dimensioned so as to maintain, following application of the first level of vacuum, between the annular gap and the tissue proximate to the subject's urethra a leak-proof mechanical seal upon application of a second level of vacuum within the vacuum chamber that is lesser than the first level of vacuum, the leak-proof mechanical seal placing the vacuum chamber and the urethral conduit in fluid isolation from one another.