Patent Application
20230059612
The present invention relates generally to urethra catheters. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method of removing blockage from a bladder using a 22-French (22 Fr) modified Foley catheter. The system and method are ideal for patients having an obliterated prostatic urethra with dystrophic calcifications by using the 22-French modified Foley catheter as a sheath. A dental bur can be used for drilling through the calcification in the prostatic urethra and then to continue to the bladder neck for removing the blockage. The prostatic urethra is the portion of the urethra that traverses the prostate. It originates in the region of the bladder neck, courses roughly 2.5 cm inferiorly and terminates at the membranous urethra. The prostatic urethra is surrounded by an inner circular layer and an outer longitudinal layer of smooth muscle. The dental bur can be pushed or inserted by attaching it to a tubular dental handpiece via a dental lab motor. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices and methods of manufacture.
By way of background, urinary retention is a common problem in many individuals. Urinary retention is generally defined as a condition in which a person is not able to empty all the urine from the bladder. There are generally a lot of reasons for urinary retention in individuals. As an example, a person with a history of brachytherapy and radiation treatment for prostate cancer can succumb to urinary retention. Similarly, posterior urethral stenosis is a condition where the uppermost part of the urethra of a person narrows to the point that it prevents urine from passing out of the body.
When urine is not passed easily from the body, a person may face urinary tract infections, bloody urine, pain in the abdomen and the like. Further, urine retention can increase the pressure within the urinary tract and can adversely affect the kidneys, which in turn can lead to high blood pressure, leg swelling and further kidney damage.
Usually, a Foley catheter is used for removing urine from the bladder in cases of urinary retention. A Foley catheter is a flexible tube that a clinician passes through the urethra and into the bladder to drain urine. It is the most common type of indwelling urinary catheter. The Foley catheter can include two tubes or lumens. The tubes or lumens are separated channels running down the length of the catheter. One lumen, open at both ends, can drain urine into a collection bag, and the other lumen can have a valve on the outside end and connects to a balloon at the inside tip. The balloon can be inflated with sterile water when it lies inside the bladder to stop the catheter from slipping out. Manufacturers typically produce Foley catheters using silicone or coated natural latex. In some cases, urethra catheters are used for draining urine in which a catheter is inserted into a urethra opening. The balloon is inflated slowly using sterile water to the recommended volume on the catheter for enabling flow of urine.
In cases where the urethra catheter cannot be inserted into the urethra, a suprapubic catheter can be used. The suprapubic catheter is a hollow flexible tube for draining urine from the bladder. The suprapubic catheter is inserted into the bladder through a cut or incision in the stomach, a few inches below the navel. In many cases, intermittent and temporary urinary catheters are used. These catheters are inserted several times a day, for just long enough to drain the bladder, and are removed thereafter.
Further, to diagnose conditions such as Prostatic Urethral Stenosis, a conventional 21-French rigid scope can be inserted into the urethra to view and detect an obliterated urethra and dystrophic calcifications. As known in the art, dystrophic calcifications comprise the calcification occurring in degenerated or necrotic tissue, as in hyalinized scars, degenerated foci in leiomyomas and caseous nodules. This occurs as a reaction to tissue damage, including as a consequence of medical device implantation. Dystrophic calcification occurs as a result of chronic inflammation or tissue necrosis. It is associated with several medical conditions such as collagen vascular disease, scleroderma and systemic lupus erythematosus, as well as with soft tissue injuries from trauma. An obliterated urethra is a trauma to the urethra, or a condition that can result after treatment for prostate cancer. While using the suprapubic catheter, methylene blue may be inserted into the suprapubic catheter. However, due to an obliterated prostatic urethra with dystrophic calcifications, blue dye leakage may not be visualized from the bladder. Methylene blue can be used to treat methemoglobinemia and urinary tract infections. Methylene blue can also be used as a dye or staining agent to make certain body fluids and tissues easier to view during surgery or on an x-ray or other diagnostic exam.
Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for a urinary retention diagnosis system and method that effectively removes blockage at the bladder neck. There is also a long felt need in the art for a urinary retention diagnosis system and method that maintains patency of the lumen of the urethra. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a urinary retention diagnosis system and method that uses conventional suprapubic catheters. There is a long felt need in the art for a urinary retention diagnosis system and method that uses a modified Foley catheter. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a urinary retention diagnosis system and method that uses methylene blue for checking the unblocking of the bladder. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a urinary retention diagnosis system and method that removes blockage from the bladder neck and obliterated prostatic urethra.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a novel urinary retention diagnosis system for a bladder neck. The bladder neck is a group of muscles that connect the bladder to the urethra. The muscles tighten to hold urine in the bladder, and relax to release it through the urethra. Urinary problems occur when abnormalities block the bladder neck, and prevent it from opening completely during urination. More specifically, the urinary retention diagnosis system includes: a 22-French (22 Fr) modified Foley catheter designed to work as a sheath: a flexible and tubular dental handpiece; the flexible and tubular dental handpiece can be operated by a dental lab motor in order to reach a point of the obstruction in the bladder through the sheath; a knob on the dental lab motor for turning the flexible and tubular dental handpiece at a low speed at the point of obstruction; and a spear-shaped dental bur for drilling through the calcification in the prostatic urethra to the bladder neck.
In this manner, the novel urinary retention diagnosis system of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives, and provides a relatively safe, easy, and convenient solution to allow surgeons to remove a blockage from the bladder neck where the calcification is present in the prostatic urethra. The system is easy to use and can be operated using a dental lab motor.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a urinary retention diagnosis system for removing a blockage from a bladder neck. The system is configured to work with patients having obliterated prostatic urethra with dystrophic calcifications. More specifically, the urinary retention diagnosis system includes a 22-French modified Foley catheter designed to work as a sheath, a flexible and tubular dental handpiece, the flexible and tubular dental handpiece can be operated by a dental lab motor in order to reach the point of the obstruction in the bladder through the sheath, a knob on the dental lab motor for turning the flexible and tubular dental handpiece at a low speed at the point of obstruction and a spear-shaped dental bur for drilling through the calcification in the prostatic urethra to the bladder neck for removing the blockage.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, a method for removing a blockage from a bladder neck of a patient with obliterated prostatic urethra with dystrophic calcifications is described. The method includes: initially anesthetizing the patient with a lumbar block and twilight sedation; placing the patient in a dorsal lithotomy position, prepped and draped; inserting a 22-French modified Foley catheter to act as a sheath to maintain the patency of the lumen of the urethra; advancing tubular dental handpiece using a dental lab motor through the sheath to the point of obstruction in the bladder; turning the tubular dental handpiece at low speed using a control knob on the dental lab motor; drilling a spear-shaped dental bur through the calcification in the prostatic urethra to the bladder neck; removing the blockage; placing a wire through a 22-French catheter into the bladder; inflating a balloon; and removing the 22-French catheter.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the 22-French modified Foley catheter is inserted to the point of the obstruction to act as a sheath to maintain the patency of the lumen of the urethra.
In yet a further embodiment of the present invention, the 22-French modified Foley catheter is a thin and hollow sterile tube through which a tubular dental handpiece can be inserted into the bladder to drain urine.
In yet a further embodiment of the present invention, the system and method are used for patients having dystrophic calcification of the prostate after cryotherapy. Methylene blue can also flow through the newly-opened bladder neck and obliterated prostatic urethra, using the method and the system described supra.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there exists a long felt need in the art for a urinary retention diagnosis system and method that effectively removes a blockage at the bladder neck. There is also a long felt need in the art for a urinary retention diagnosis system and method that maintains patency of the lumen of the urethra. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a urinary retention diagnosis system and method that uses conventional suprapubic catheters. There is a long felt need in the art for a urinary retention diagnosis system and method that uses a modified Foley catheter. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a urinary retention diagnosis system and method that uses methylene blue for checking the unblocking of the bladder. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a urinary retention diagnosis system and method that removes a blockage from the bladder neck and obliterated prostatic urethra.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a method for removing a blockage from the bladder neck of a patient with obliterated prostatic urethra comprising dystrophic calcifications. The method includes: initially anesthetizing the patient with a lumbar block and twilight sedation; placing the patient in a dorsal lithotomy position, prepped and draped; inserting a 22-French modified Foley catheter to act as a sheath to maintain the patency of the lumen of the urethra; advancing a tubular dental handpiece using a dental lab motor through the sheath to a point of obstruction in the bladder; turning the tubular dental handpiece at low speed using a control knob on the dental lab motor; drilling a spear-shaped dental bur through the calcification in the prostatic urethra to the bladder neck; removing the blockage; placing a wire through a 22-French catheter into the bladder; inflating a balloon; and removing the 22-French catheter.
Referring initially to the drawings,
A “spear-shaped” dental bur 210 can be attached to the handpiece 204 and pushed forward to drill through the calcification in the prostatic urethra, and continue onward to the bladder neck of the patient. Using the dental bur 210, the blockage at the bladder neck can be removed and thereafter the handpiece or “snake” 204 can be withdrawn.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “urinary retention diagnosis system”, “urinary blockage removal system”, “system”, and “urinary retention diagnosis system” are interchangeable and refer to the urinary blockage removal system 500 of the present invention. Similarly, as used herein “22-French modified Foley catheter”, “modified catheter”, and “hollow catheter” are interchangeable and refer to the 22-French (22 Fr) modified Foley catheter 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the 22-French modified Foley catheter 100 and the urinary blockage removal system 500 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration and material of the 22-French modified Foley catheter 100 and the urinary blockage removal system 500 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the 22-French modified Foley catheter 100 and the urinary blockage removal system 500 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the 22-French modified Foley catheter 100 and the urinary blockage removal system 500 are important design parameters for user convenience, the 22-French modified Foley catheter 100 and the urinary blockage removal system 500 may be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
