초록 ▼

A urinary apparatus includes a catheter system for pressurizing either a bladder cavity or a urethral canal within a female urinary system and an endoscope device for observing a urethral sphincter muscle within the female urinary system for assessing the sling tension of an implant support adapted

A urinary apparatus includes a catheter system for pressurizing either a bladder cavity or a urethral canal within a female urinary system and an endoscope device for observing a urethral sphincter muscle within the female urinary system for assessing the sling tension of an implant support adapted to restore female urinary continence. The catheter system includes a obturator occlusion member for plugging the urethral canal during the performance of a sling tensioning procedure.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of assessing the sling tension of an implant support for the urethral sphincter muscle of the bladder for restoring female urinary continence, comprising the steps of:(a) pressurizing the bladder cavity with fluid to a predetermined pressure;(b) pressurizing the urethral canal with fluid

1. A method of assessing the sling tension of an implant support for the urethral sphincter muscle of the bladder for restoring female urinary continence, comprising the steps of:(a) pressurizing the bladder cavity with fluid to a predetermined pressure;(b) pressurizing the urethral canal with fluid to a pressure level at which the urethral sphincter muscle opens so as to induce reverse leakage back into the bladder;(c) observing the opening of the urethral sphincter muscle during the performance of step (b); and(d) adjusting the sling tension of the implant support in response to the pressure level achieved during the performance of step (b).2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of plugging the entrance opening of the urethral canal prior to the performance of step (a).3. A method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising the step of selecting a desired pressure range for a particular patient, said desired pressure range representing a desired sling tension of the implant support.4. A method in accordance with claim 3, further comprising the steps of increasing the sling tension when the pressure level achieved during the performance of step (b) is lower than said desired pressure range; and decreasing the sling tension when the pressure level achieved during the performance of step (b) is higher than said desired pressure range.