Abstract:
The invention relates to a medical device and method for treating phimosis. The invention allows for effective, long treatment sessions without interrupting the patient&#39;s everyday activities.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a medical device and method for treating phimosis. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Phimosis is a condition wherein the male foreskin cannot be fully retracted from the glans or head of the penis. At birth, the inner layer of the foreskin is sealed to the glans of the penis. In normal development, the foreskin remains non-retractable in infancy and early childhood until puberty, whereupon the foreskin retracts to some degree from the glans to allow the glans to emerge through a slit in the foreskin. 
         [0003]    Phimosis can cause discomfort or pain during urination or sexual intercourse. It may also obstruct the release of urine, resulting in ineffective urination or a harmful urinary obstruction. 
         [0004]    Known treatments for treating phimosis include circumcision, the surgical removal of the foreskin. This treatment is undesirable as the surgery is costly, intrusive and painful. 
         [0005]    Other treatment options include pliers-like tools used to stretch and increase the size of the foreskin slit to allow the glans to emerge through the foreskin slit, such as the tool disclosed in Nishiki US Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0098003. The disclosed tool is undesirable as multiple, dedicated sessions are required to complete treatment. The tool is relatively large and inhibits physical activity during treatment sessions. 
         [0006]    Thus, there is a need for a medical device for treating phimosis that is inexpensive, non-intrusive and not painful. The device should be light and small to permit treatment while the patient is active. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The invention is a medical device for treating phimosis. The device is a spring-like tool having two ends and a spring for applying a constant force to enlarge the foreskin slit. 
         [0008]    The device allows an inexpensive, non-intrusive and non-painful method of treating phimosis. The device is small and lightweight, allowing the patient to remain active during treatment sessions. 
         [0009]    Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing sheets illustrating the invention. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a top view of the device; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the device taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    Phimosis treatment device  10  is made up of a compact generally cylindrical body  12  from which two arms  14  extend outwardly from one side of the body to enlarged engaging members  16 . Arms  14  may be continuous with and composed of the same material as body  12 . 
         [0013]    Body  12  is made up of a coiled spring  18  made up of one or more coiled loops  20 . Spring  18  may be composed of 1/16 inch diameter wire. The wire may be copper, a copper alloy or other metal, or another resilient material. 
         [0014]    Generally cylindrical enlarged engaging members  16  are located at the free ends of arms  14 . Each member  16  includes outer and inner cylindrical ribs  22  and  24  that extend outwardly from the member and define an engagement valley  26 . Engaging members  16  may be copper, a copper alloy or other metal, or some another malleable substance identical to body  12  and arms  14 . 
         [0015]    Arms  14  extend outwardly from one side of body  12  to provide a clearance distance between spring  18  and the patient&#39;s body. Engaging members  16  are located at a neutral position when spring  18  is uncompressed. As spring  18  is compressed by exerting force on arms  14 , each member  16  moves inwardly in the direction of arrows  28  to an application position. When arms  14  are released, the spring moves each member  16  outwardly to return to the neutral position. 
         [0016]    In use of device  10  for a treatment session, spring  18  is compressed so that engaging members  16  are brought in proximity to one another in the application position. Members  16  are placed into the foreskin slit and located so that opposing sides of the slit are places into engagement valley  26  on each member. Spring  18  is then released and allowed to decompress so that the members move outwardly to a working position. In the working position, members  16  apply a force onto the opposing ends of the slit to stretch the foreskin to enlarge the foreskin slit. Device  10  is removed from the patient to end the treatment session. 
         [0017]    As treatment sessions progress, the skin surrounding the foreskin slit stretches to increase foreskin slit size until the phimosis is cured. 
         [0018]    Device  10  is compact and is light, weighing no more than 4 ounces. This allows a patient to apply the device to the body for treatment sessions while simultaneously undertaking normal everyday tasks that would otherwise be impossible with use of larger and heavier phimosis treatment devices. Long treatment sessions may be implemented without the need to keep the patient inactive. Treatment sessions can be implemented discreetly without interruption of normal patient activities. 
         [0019]    If desired, before starting a treatment session, one or both arms  14  may be bent to further move engaging members  16  inward or outward to conform the spacing of the arms to foreskin slits of varying sizes. 
         [0020]    If desired, a plurality of devices  10  may be used for progressive treatment sessions, each device having a spring  18  having a different spring constant in order to exert gradually increasing spring forces to the foreskin slit. Different spring forces may be achieved though use of springs having different numbers of coiled loops  20 . 
         [0021]    Device  10  includes a coil spring  18  that biases arms  14  and  16  apart. The arms are extensions of the ends of the coil spring. Other types of springs are contemplated. The engagement members could be pivoted together and forced apart by a longitudinally compressed coil spring. The engaging members could be mounted on the end of a U-shaped spring similar to the spring of a sugar tongs. The engaging members could be attached to the end of a small compressed hydraulic cylinder with a piston bias toward an extended position by a compressed gas. The engaging members could be biased apart by a compressed resilient elastomer spring. 
         [0022]    While I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it is understood that there are capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within purview of the following claims.