URINARY CONTROL WITH INFLATABLE SEAL

Abstract: A urine tube (12) extends through a balloon (26) which is inflatable in the neck of a bladder (38) to form a seal around the urine tube (12). The balloon (26) has a shape corresponding to the shape of the bladder chamber at the urethra orifice (38) to facilitate establishing a seal. A valve (14) is provided on the outlet end (15) of the urine tube (12) and an air tube (20) extends along the substantial length of the urine tube (12) into the balloon (26). A hypodermic syringe (48) or the like may be inserted into the inlet end (22) of the air tube (20) for inflating the balloon (26). A hydrogel collar (36) is positioned around the urine tube (12) against the body (40) at the outlet end of the urethra to hold the balloon (26) in tight engagement with the bladder neck (38) at the urethra orifice.

Description: URINARY CONTROL WITH INFLATABLE SEAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application Serial No. 07/307,992 filed February 9, 1989, URINARY CONTROL VALVE & METHOD OF USING SAME. Incontinence is a problem for many people including older adults. Present day approaches to dealing with incontinence such as the Foley catheter often times causes urinary tract infection. A bag for urine is required and smell becomes a problem. The chances of infection are increased each time the bag is changed. The cost for the Foley catheters and pads is substantial. An inflatable conventional spherical balloon is used to keep the catheter in the bladder, but leakage around the catheter occurs and is a problem. It was not an object of this product to provide a seal around the catheter at the bladder orifice. In my co-pending application I have disclosed a urethral valve positioned in the orifice of the urethra. In some instances, leakage may occur around the outside of the valve. What is needed is a simple inexpensive device for controlling urine flow in the urethra which is compatible to the body and will not cause discomfort, infection and pass urine only through operation of the valve rather than around the outside of the catheter. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A urinary tube extends into the urethra and continues into the bladder. An inflatable balloon having a shape corresponding to the shape of the inner wall surface of the bladder at the orifice extends around the bladder end of the urinary tube and an air line extends through the urine tube to outside the urethra where it is adapted to be connected to an air pump for inflating the balloon to provide a seal around the urinary tube in the neck and orifice of the bladder. A valve is provided in the urinary tube outside of the urethra. An anchoring collar of hydrogel frictionally engages the exterior of the urinary tube and is positioned against the outer end of the urethra to hold the balloon in tight sealing engagement with the neck of the bladder. The urinary control of this invention when used by a male includes the additional use of a support shell around the penis to stabilize the urinary tube which extends through the penis. The anchoring collar of hydrogel is positioned against the outer end of the support shell. The shell is one piece but includes a plurality of sections to allow for fitting the support shell to penises of different sizes. A collar of hydrogel is also placed between the inner end of the shell sections and the pubic bone base of the penis. An accordion type section is included to give the shell flexibility in accommodating penises of different lengths and to permit them to be disposed at varying angles to the body. A hypodermic syringe or the like may function as an air pump when its needle is inserted into the air tube to inflate the balloon. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the urinary control with inflatable seal. Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the urinary control in the urethra of a female. Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the structure indicated by the line 3 - 3 in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4 --- 4 in Figure 2 showing the valve in a closed condition. Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the valve in an open condition. Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the urinary control in the urethra of a male. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The urinary control of this invention is referred to generally by the reference numeral 10 as seen in Figure 1 and includes a urine tube 12 in which a valve 14 is connected. The tube 12 has an outer outlet end 15 and an inner inlet end 16 with sidewall openings 18. An air tube 20 extends into the valve body 14 and along the length of the tube 12 towards the inlet end 16. The air tube 20 has an inlet end 22 and an outlet end 24 positioned in a balloon 26 formed in part by the sidewalls of the urine tube 14. Balloon chamber 28 is provided. The air tube outlet end includes an opening 30 in chamber 28. The valve body 14 includes a pair of oppositely disposed blade elements 32 normally closed. Pressure on the opposite sidewalls of the valve body 14 will cause the valve elements 32 to spread as seen in Figure 5 and allow urine to flow toward the outlet end 14. An anchoring collar means 36 of hydrogel is provided around the urine tube 12 outwardly of the balloon 26 and frictionally engages the outer surface of the urine tube 12 to hold the walls of the balloon 26 in tight sealing contact with the bladder orifice and neck 38 as seen in Figure 2. The balloon 26 is shaped to correspond to the shape of the inner side walls of the bladder at the orifice to provide a seal around the catheter thereby preventing leakage. This shape is generally pear shape. In the female, the collar 36 presses against the body around the opening to the urethra. A sleeve 42 also extends around the urine tube 12 and may be adjusted tightly against the collar 36 to assist in holding the collar tight against the person's body at the outlet end of the urethra. Rounded serrations 44 are provided along the outside of the urine tube 12 and register with serrations on the inside face of the collar 36 and serve to hold the collar 36 in place in turn holding the balloon seal 26 in place thereby preventing leakage around the tube 12. A hypodermic syringe 48 functions as an air pump and has a needle 50 which is inserted into the inlet end 22 of the air tube 20. The inlet end 22 has a passageway 52 normally closed except when opened by the needle 50 thereby allowing air to be introduced into the tube to fill the balloon 26 but when the needle 50 is removed the passageway is sealed preventing air from escaping and deflating the balloon. When the urinary control of this invention is used on a male, a one piece support shell 60 is provided around the penis 62 and includes an outer section 64 having an outer end 64A being rounded to the curvature of the head of the penis. An accordion pleats section 64B interconnects the outer section 64 with a base section 64C. The base section 64C presses against a hydrogel collar 66 which presses against the base (pubic bone) 68 of the penis. A second hydrogel collar 70 is positioned against the outer end of the rounded section 64A to hold the urine tube 12 in place such that the balloon 26 when inflated is pressed against the bladder neck 38. Among the properties of hydrogel is that it is soft and pliable but yet firm. In use it is seen that the urine tube 12 will be inserted into the urethra of the male or female far enough that the balloon 26 will be seated in the neck 38 of the bladder. Air is introduced into the air tube 20 through the use of a hypodermic syringe. A hydrogel collar is then positioned against the body at the outer end of the urethra to hold the balloon 26 in position to form a seal with the bladder neck 38. The balloon is inflated from the solid line position in Figure 2 to the dash line inflated condition. When fully installed, no urine can leak around the urine tube 12 due to the seal the balloon 26 provides with the bladder neck 38. Urine can enter the openings 18 in the inlet end 16 of the urine tube 12 and pass into the valve 14 and upon actuation of the valve blades 32 by applying pressure to opposite sides of the valve 14, the valve will be open for drainage of the bladder through the outlet end 15. The valve 14 and urine tube 12 are formed from elastomer silicone material of a 50 or 55 durometer from Dow Corning, Midland, Michigan. The balloon 26 may have a capacity of approximately 40 cc's.

Claims: I claim: 1. The method of controlling the urine flow in the urethra comprising the steps of: providing an air tube having an inflatable balloon at one end and an air inlet at the opposite end said balloon having a shape when inflated substantially corresponding to the shape of the bladder at the urethra orifice, providing a urine tube having a valve to limit urine flow from the inlet tube end to the outlet tube end, inserting the urine tube and balloon into the urethra and positioning the deflated balloon at the neck and orifice of the bladder with the inlet end of the urine tube being in the bladder, inflating the balloon to provide a seal at the neck and orifice of the bladder to prevent urine flow in the urethra on the outside around the urine tube, and operating the valve to allow flow of urine from the bladder through the urine tube to the urine tube outlet end. 2. The method of controlling the urine flow in the urethra comprising the steps of: providing an air tube having an inflatable balloon at one end and an air inlet at the opposite end, said balloon having a shape when inflated substantially corresponding to the shape of the bladder at the urethra orifice, providing a urine tube having a valve to limit urine flow from the inlet tube end to the outlet tube end, positioning the urine tube in the balloon with the inlet end of the urine tube being positioned outside of the balloon, inserting the urine tube and balloon into the urethra and positioning the deflated balloon in the neck of the bladder at the bladder orifice with the inlet end of the urine tube being in the bladder, inflating the balloon to provide a seal in the neck of the bladder at the orifice to prevent urine flow in L * urethra on the outside around the urine tube, and operating the valve to allow flow of urine from the bladder through the urine tube to the urine tube outlet end. 3. The method of claim 2 and the step of providing an anchoring means on said urine tube at the outlet end of the urethra to hold said urine tube against movement into said bladder for maintaining the seal between said balloon and the neck of the bladder. 4. The method of claim 3 and the further step of positioning the anchoring means on the urine tube and in operative engagement with outlet end of the urethra to pull the balloon tight against the bladder neck. 5. The method of claim 4 and the step of providing a support shell around the penis and extending the outlet end of the urine tube outwardly of the support shell with the anchoring means being in engagement with the outer end of the support shell and the inner end of the support shell engaging the users body adjacent the penis to provide resistance in pulling the balloon tight against the neck of the bladder. 6. The method of claim 4 and the step of positioning the anchoring means in engagement with the body at the orifice of the urethra to provide resistance in pulling the balloon tight against the neck of the bladder. 7. A urinary control system comprising, an air tube having an inflatable balloon at one end and an air inlet at the opposite end, said balloon having a shape when inflated substantially corresponding to the shape of the bladder at the urethra orifice to form a seal at the orifice of the urethra in the bladder, a urine tube having a valve adapted to limit urine flow from an inlet tube end to an outlet tube end, said urine tube being positioned in parallel relationship with the air tube and adapted to receive urine from the bladder, and seal means connected to said air tube adapted to maintain said balloon inflated to sealingly engage the neck of the bladder. 8. A urinary control system comprising, an air tube having an inflatable balloon at one end and an air inlet at the opposite end, said balloon having a shape when inflated substantially corresponding to the shape of the bladder at the urethra orifice to form a seal at the orifice of the urethra in the bladder. a urine tube having a valve adapted to limit urine flow from an inlet tube end to an outlet tube end, said urine tube being positioned in the balloon with the inlet end of the urine tube being positioned outside of the balloon and adapted to receive urine from the bladder, and seal means connected to said air tube adapted to maintain said balloon inflated to sealingly engage the neck of the bladder. 9. The structure of claim 8 and an anchoring means on said air tube adapted to operatively engage the body at the outer end of the urethra to hold said balloon tight against the neck of the bladder 10. The structure of claim 9 wherein said anchoring means includes a shell adapted to fit over the penis, said shell having inner and outer ends with the inner end adapted to operatively engage the pubic bone base of the penis. 11. The structure of claim 10 wherein said shell includes a flexible and expandable section adapted to fit penises of different sizes and disposed at varying angles to the body. 12. The structure of claim 11 wherein said flexible and expandable section is further defined as including accordion pleats. 13. The structure of claim 8 and an anchoring collar is provided to extend around the urine tube for being positioned at the outer end of the urethra to hold the balloon in sealing contact with the bladder orifice. 14. The structure of claim 13 wherein said collar and urine tube have cooperating serrations to provide a tight fit therebetween and thereby limit relative movement therebetween. 15. The structure of claim 14 wherein said collar is made of a soft pliable material. 16. The structure of claim 15 wherein said collar is made of hydrogel material.

Inventors: SALAMA FOUAD A, SALAMA, FOUAD, A.
Applicants: SALAMA FOUAD A, SALAMA, FOUAD, A.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A61M25
IPC codes: A61F2, A61F5, A61M1, A61M25, A61M27, A61M39