Hannah cervical cup
View Patent ↗A cervical cup includes a body having a flange and a vacuum port so that application of a vacuum to the port will secure the cervical cup to a cervix disposed inside of the body of the cup. Example of the disclosed methodology to treat preterm birth includes inserting of a cervix into a cervical cup and applying a vacuum to a vacuum port of the cervical cup so as to secure the cervical cup to the cervix.
1. A cervical cup, comprising:
a body generally extending along a first direction along an axial axis thereof, said body being generally curved and open at a proximal end;
a flange attached to the proximal end of said body;
a vacuum port connected to the body at a distal end of said body, and
a valve connected to the vacuum port, said valve being configured to maintain a vacuum when a vacuum source is disconnected from the cervical cup,
wherein, said body is curved with respect to a radial axis thereof so as to create asymmetry about the axial axis and the cervical cup is adapted to secure a cervix disposed inside of the body with an application of the vacuum to said vacuum port.
2. The cervical cup according to claim 1 , wherein the flange is tilted with respect to the axial axis of the body.
3. The cervical cup according to claim 1 , wherein the flange is an integral part of the body and formed by a curvature of the proximal end of the body to form a lip and the proximal end of the body extends past the lip in a second direction generally opposite to the first direction such that the curved end portion forming the flange radially extends away from the body.
4. The cervical cup according to claim 3 , wherein an amount of lift to displace a downward pressure created by a presenting part of a fetus is determined by a length of the lip of the cervical cup.
5. A cervical c comprising:
a body extending generally along a first direction along an axial axis thereof, said body being generally curved and open at a proximal end;
a flange attached to the proximal end of said body;
a vacuum port connected to the body at a distal end of said body,
wherein, said body is curved with respect to a radial axis thereof so at to create asymmetry about the axial axis and the cervical cup is adapted to secure a cervix disposed inside of the body with an application of a vacuum to said vacuum port, the cervical cup further comprising:
a layer of glue disposed on an inner surface of the body to assist in securing the cervix to the cervical cup.
6. The cervical cup according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of vents disposed on the flange.
7. The cervical cup according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a medicated ring disposed around an external surface of the body adjacent to the flange, said medicated ring being configured to administer a medication to the cervix through the plurality of vents.
8. A cervical cup, comprising:
a body generally extending along a first direction along an axial axis thereof, said body being generally curved and open at a proximal end portion thereof;
a flange formed by a curvature of the proximal end of the body to form a lip and the proximal end of the body extends past the lip in a second direction generally opposite to the first direction such that the curved end portion forming the flange radially extends away from the body;
a vacuum port connected to the body at a distal end portion of said body; and
a valve connected to the vacuum port, said valve being configured to maintain a vacuum when a vacuum source is disconnected from the cervical cup,
wherein, the cervical cup is adapted to secure a cervix disposed inside of the body with an application of the vacuum to said vacuum port.
9. The cervical cup according to claim 8 , wherein the flange is tilted with respect to the axial axis of the body.
10. The cervical cup according to claim 8 , wherein said body is curved with respect to a radial axis thereof so as to create asymmetry about the axial axis.
11. The cervical cup according to claim 8 , wherein said flange is an integral part of the body.
12. The cervical cup according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a plurality of vents disposed on the flange; and
a medicated ring disposed around an external surface of the body adjacent to the flange, said medicated ring being configured to administer a medication to the cervix through the plurality of vents.
13. The cervical cup according to claim 8 , wherein an amount of lift to displace a downward pressure created by a presenting part of a fetus is determined by a length of the lip of the cervical cup.
14. A method to treat preterm birth, the method comprising:
inserting end portions of a cervix into a cervical cup, said cervical cup comprising a body generally extending along an axial axis thereof, a flange attached to a proximal end portion of said body, and a vacuum port disposed at a distal end portion of said body;
inducing tension to the cervix by applying a vacuum to said vacuum port to reconstitute the cervix as a treatment of preterm birth; and
maintaining said vacuum by a valve connected to the vacuum port when a vacuum source is disconnected from the cervical cup.
15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
reducing a downward pressure created by a presenting part of a fetus by the flange being tilted with respect to the axial axis of the body.
16. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
providing an amount of lift to a displacement of a downward pressure created by a presenting part of a fetus, by the flange formed by a curvature of the proximal end portion of the body so as to form a lip and extending the flange past the lip such that the curved end portion forming the flange radially extends away from the body.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the amount of lift to reduce the downward pressure created by the presenting part of the fetus is determined by a length of the lip of the cervical cup.
18. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
applying a medication to the cervix through a plurality of vents disposed on the flange by inserting a medicated ring disposed around an external surface of the body adjacent to the flange.
19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said inducing further comprises:
improving a tissue durometer of the cervix;
creating an edema; or
increasing a cervical width, circumference, or length.
20. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
tilting the cervix by a curvature of said body with respect to a radial axis of the body.