Instrument For Inserting Bead Chain Into Urethea And Bladder

Abstract

A medical instrument to insert a bead chain within a patient's bladder wherein the instrument is formed into a scissors configuration with the operational ends of the scissor members including an elongated recess so as to facilitate retention of the bead chain and its location within the patient's bladder.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The field of this invention relates to medical instruments and more particularly to a medical instrument particularly adapted for performing cystourethrograms upon female human beings.

Within a human being both the urethra and the bladder are supported by a muscular "sling." This sling is referred to as an arrangement of muscles located about both the urethra and the bladder to retain such in a particular angular relationship with respect to each other. This particular angular relationship should be approximately 90.degree..

Women, during child birth, even normal child birth, occasionally incur injury to the "sling." The muscles and the ligaments that support the floor of the bladder become torn. As a result, the woman is unable to control her urine flow. When these muscles become torn, the angle between the urethra and the bladder changes from the 90.degree. to a much larger angles such as 135.degree. or 180.degree..

The inability to control flow of urine as well as other symptoms which indicate a torn "sling" may also be indicative of other problems. The only known way to correct this problem is by surgery. Prior to the initiation of the surgery procedure, it is definitely desirable to be positive if the woman's symptoms are a result of this torn "sling." A known way in which the interior of one's body can be readily observed is through the use of X-rays. However, a torn "sling" cannot be observed by itself from an X-ray. Therefore, a procedure known as a cystourethrogram is performed so that the angle between the urethra and the bladder can be readily observed by the taking of an X-ray. This cystourethrogram is to measure the posterior urethro vescicle angle by the inserting of a bead chain into the urethra into contact with the floor of the bladder. It is to be readily understood that the urethra is the tube from the bladder to the exterior of the body through which urine is normally passed. The bead chain, being a high density material, and usually formed of a metallic material, is readily observed by an X-ray. Therefore, after an X-ray is taken with the bead chain installed, the angle between the bladder and the urethra can be readily measured.

If there is a slight amount of damage to the "sling" indicating an angle of 100.degree. or 110.degree., the physician may decide to postpone surgery to observe the patient for a period of time. However, normally if the angle is greater than 120.degree. a surgical procedure is to be performed which has been referred to as the Marshall-Marchetti procedure. This surgical procedure is to correct the muscular deficit of the "sling" to reestablish the correct 90.degree. angle between the urethra and the bladder. After the operation has been performed, a cystourethrogram is normally again made to insure that the proper angle has been achieved.

Previously in the performing of cystourethrograms it has been common to employ the use of a rubber catheter as the vehicle to locate the bead chain within the urethra and the bladder. However, the use of a rubber catheter is a tedious procedure and at times the correct placement of the bead chain is not established. Additionally, it is not uncommon that in the extracting of the rubber catheter and attempting to leave the bead chain within the bladder results in the rubber catheter also extracting the bead chain.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The medical instrument of this invention is designed to be specifically employed to quickly and easily deposit a bead chain within the urethra and the bladder of a human being. The medical instrument of this invention employs the use of a pair of members which are connected together in a scissor-like manner with the operational end of the instrument including elongated recesses upon the members to facilitate the frictional grasping and retention of the bead chain therebetween. The operational end of the instrument is curved so as to facilitate the movement of the instrument through the urethra. Once the instrument has been moved to the proper position, the instrument is manually operated to move such from the closed position to an open position which results in release of the bead chain and the placement of such in both the urethra and the floor of the bladder. The instrument is then withdrawn and an X-ray taken which shows the bead chain in an angular position represented by the angle between the urethra and the bladder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the medical instrument of this invention in the closed position with a bead chain being retained within the instrument;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the instrument of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the handle portion of the instrument of this invention taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the operational ends of the instrument of this invention taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SHOWN EMBODIMENT

Referring particularly to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 the medical instrument 10 of this invention which basically comprises a first elongated member 12 and a second elongated member 14. The first elongated member 12 is formed into an operating end 16 and an operational end 18. The second elongated member 14 is also formed into an operating end 20 and an operational end 22. It is to be noted that, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, the overall instrument 10 is bowed or curved which is caused by the constructing of the members 12 and 14 in a cooperating curved manner.

A pin 24 connects together the members 12 and 14 intermediate the repsective ends in a pivoting relationship. As a result, the relationship between the members 12 and 14 substantially resembles a scissors.

The operating end 16 includes an enlarged element 26 which includes an enlarged opening 28. The operating end 20 also includes an enlarged element 30 with an enlarged opening 32 formed therein. The function of the openings 28 and 32 is to facilitate location of a person's finger of thumb therein. This permits the members 12 and 14 to be pivotally moved about the pin 24 in a manner similar to a conventional scissors.

Connected to the enlarged member 26 is a protuberance 34. Connected to the enlarged member 30 is a catch 36. With the instrument 10 of this invention in a closed position, the catch 36 cooperates with the protuberance 34 to retain such in the closed position. In essence this is a conventional latching means for a scissors.

The operational ends 18 and 22 are to pivot in substantially the same plane, thereby being substantially in alignment with each other. The surface of the operational end 18 which faces the other operational end 22 is formed into an elongated recess 38. The surface of the operational end 22 which faces the recess 38 is similarly formed into an elongated recess 40. A bead chain 42 is to be locatable between the operational ends 18 and 22 of the instrument 10 of this invention with the round beads of the bead chain 42 cooperating within the recesses 38 and 40. This cooperating recess configuration tends to retain the bead chain within the instrument 10 and prevent accidental dislodgment therefrom.

In order to insert the bead chain 42 within the bladder of a human being, ther person desiring to insert such locates the bead chain 42 within the instrument 10 as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. With the bead chain 42 so installed, the person closes the instrument 10 resulting in catch 36 cooperating with protuberance 34 and latching the instrument 10 in the closed position. In this position the bead chain 42 is tightly grasped in a frictional manner between the operational ends 18 and 22.

The person then inserts the operational ends 18 and 22 of the instrument 10 into the urethra of the patient and continues to insert such to a sufficient depth so that the bead chain 42 will come into contact with the floor of the bladder. The person then positions the instrument 10 so that upon opening thereof, the bead chain ill readily fall by gravity and become disassociated from the instrument. With the person having opened the instrument 10 while it is located in the desired position within the urethra and the bladder, the person then extracts the instrument 10 from the patient. Normally the length of the bead chain 42 is selected so that a portion thereof extends exteriorly of the patient's body. This permits for each extraction after taking of the X-ray. With the bead chain so installed, an X-ray is to be taken which will result in a clear showing of the angle between the bladder nd the urethra.

Claims

I claim:

1. A medical instrument to insert a bead chain into a patient's bladder comprising:

a first elongated member having an operating end and an operational end;

a second elongated member having an operational end and an operational end;

connecting means to pivotally connect together said first and said second members intermediate said ends;

each of said operating ends including first means for facilitating manual pivoting of said members about a pivot axis with respect to each other; and

each of said operational ends includes second means for facilitating the retention of a bead chain, said second means comprises a longitudinal recess formed within both said members, such both said recesses extending substantially the entire length of its respective operational end, each said recess being a uniform depth and width along said entire length of its respective operational end, each of said operational ends being curved so as to result in a smooth contour to facilitate locating of said medical instrument within the urethra, said pivot axis lying within the plane of said curve.

2. A medical instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said operational ends capable of assuming a substantially aligned abutting relationship with respect to each other with there being a surface upon one of said operational ends capable of coming into substantial abutting contact with a surface upon the other of said operational ends.

3. A medical instrument as defined in claim 1 including:

a latching means connected to said members, said latching means to retain said members in a closed position.

4. The medical instrument as defined in claim 3 wherein:

said latching means located on said operating ends.

5. In combination with a bead chain, said bead chain to be inserted into a patient's bladder to perform a cystourethrogram, a medical instrument to insert said bead chain comprising:

a first elongated member having an operating end and an operational end;

a second elongated member having an operating end and an operational end;

connecting means to pivotally connect together said first and second members intermediate said end;

each of said operating ends including first means for facilitating manual pivoting of said members with respect of each other; and

each of said operational ends includes second means for facilitating the retention of said bead chain.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein:

said operational ends capable of assuming a substantially aligned abutting relationship with respect to each other with there being a surface upon one of said operational ends capable of coming into substantial abutting contact with a surface upon the other of said operational ends, said second means includes forming of an elongated recess along one of said surfaces of a said operational end.

7. The combination as defined in claim 6 wherein:

both of said surfaces of said operational ends are formed into an elongated recess, whereby the bead chain is readily adapted to be temporarily retained within each of said elongated recesses with said members in a closed position.

8. The combination as defined in claim 6 wherein:

each of said operational ends is curved whereby to facilitate locating of said medical instrument within the urethra.

9. The combination as defined in claim 8 wherein:

a latching means it is connected to said members, said latching adapted to retain said members in a closed position.