Device, systems and methods for treatment of neurogenic bladder

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide apparatus, systems and methods for stimulating tissue in the urinary tract to initiate or facilitate urination. One embodiment provides an external urinary sphincter stimulation (EUSS) catheter for stimulating the external urinary sphincter (EUS), where the EUSS catheter includes nerve stimulation electrodes (NSES) for delivering current to nerves within or around the EUS in order to relax the EUS prior to urination. Other embodiments provide a system for stimulating the EUS including the EUSS catheter and a controller operatively coupled to the EUSS catheter, where the controller includes a pulse generator for delivering current to the NSES. Other embodiments provide methods for positioning the EUSS catheter in the patient's body including in the EUS using a urethral approach. Embodiments of the invention are particularly useful for initiating and / or controlling urination for patients who have lost the ability to voluntarily urinate due to neurogenic bladder dysfunction.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 754,433, filed November 1, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Background technique [0003] 1. Field of invention . The present invention relates to systems and methods for treating patients who have lost voluntary control of one or more bodily functions, such as urination, due to spinal cord injury or other neurological disorders. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for treating such patients by electrically stimulating one or more tissue sites associated with voiding continence. Still more specifically, embodiments relate to systems and methods for treating such patients by electrically stimulating the external urinary sphincter. [0004] Nerves and other nervous tissue in the body control how the bladder stores and empties urine....

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Such an approach has many disadvantages

Firstly, the procedure is highly invasive and results in prolonged immobility for the patient, as well as a risk of surgical infection, which is exacerbated by performing surgery in the hip area

Also, it may be difficult to locate the pudendal nerve in the surgical field through the gluteal approach

Furthermore, such operations are not always successful

In particular, the electrodes may come off or cause damage to the nerves, requiring removal and / or replacement surgery

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