A STRUCTURE OF ARTIFICIAL ENDO-URETHRAL SPHINCTER

摘要

A structure (140) of artificial endo-urethral sphincter for treating the urinary incontinence comprising at least one hollow rigid body (71), configured for being fixed within the walls (3) of the urethral-bladder lumen of a patient, inside it being provided: a longitudinal channel (11'); a valve element (13) housed within the longitudinal channel (11'); a closure means for moving the valve element (13) between a closed configuration and an open configuration. In a first aspect of the invention, the structure comprises a safety element (16) arranged within the longitudinal channel (11') downstream of the valve element (13), also comprises a block means structured for turning between a block configuration and a release configuration, where the safety element (16) is configured for preventing an unwanted / allowing a massive flow of urine (99), respectively, through the valve element (13). The structure prevents unwanted urine leakage, in particular urine leakages due to a seal defect of the sphincter, or in the case of an uncontrolled increase of the intravesical pressure due to coughs and efforts of any other nature. In an exemplary embodiment, a safety abutment member (16) is provided on a valve element (13) comprising preferably shell- shaped (34) resilient walls, which in the release configuration is at a distance from the valve element (13) and enables the latter to open. A return elastic element (14) may be arranged for firmly keeping the safety element (16) in the block configuration. In a second aspect of the invention, the safety element (16) may comprise, at an own end (21,21'), a magnetically sensitive element (15), configured such that, by arranging an external (electro)magnetic element (17) with the same polarization direction, a magnetic coupling is formed of the two elements (15,17) and the safety element (16) turns to the release configuration.