IP Library Granted Patent US 12,648,852
Granted Patent B2
US 12,648,852 · App. 16/738,667 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Pump and valve system for hydraulic pressurization of implants

Inventors: Noel Smith (County Kilkenny, IE); Daragh Nolan (County Waterford, IE); Thomas Andrew Albrecht (Edina, MN); Brian P. Watschke (Minneapolis, MN)
Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
A61F2/26A61F2/0027A61F2/004A61M39/223A61M39/24A61F2/484A61F2005/415A61F2250/0013
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,648,852
App. No.
16/738,667
Granted
Jun 9, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to an aspect, an implantable device includes a fluid reservoir configured to be implanted in a body of a patient at a first location, an inflatable member configured to be implanted in the body of the patient at a second location, and a pump assembly configured to be implanted in the body of the patient at a third location. The pump assembly is configured to transfer fluid from the fluid reservoir to the inflatable member in response to the implantable device being in an inflation mode, and the pump assembly configured to transfer the fluid from the inflatable member to the fluid reservoir in response to the implantable device being in a deflation mode. The pump assembly includes an electronic control module, an electronically powered pump, a first valve, and a second valve. The electronic control module is configured to activate or deactivate the electronically powered pump.

Claims (26)

1 . An implantable device comprising:

a fluid reservoir configured to hold fluid, the fluid reservoir configured to be implanted in a body of a patient at a first location;

an inflatable member configured to be implanted in the body of the patient at a second location;

a pump assembly configured to be implanted in the body of the patient at a third location, the pump assembly configured to transfer the fluid from the fluid reservoir to the inflatable member via a first fluidic pathway in response to the implantable device being in an inflation mode, the pump assembly configured to transfer the fluid from the inflatable member to the fluid reservoir via a second fluidic pathway different than the first fluidic pathway in response to the implantable device being in a deflation mode,

the pump assembly including an electronic control module, an electronically powered pump disposed within the first fluidic pathway, a single valve disposed within the first fluidic pathway, an electronically powered pump disposed within the second fluidic pathway, and a single valve disposed within the second fluidic pathway, the electronic control module configured to activate or deactivate the electronically powered pump disposed within the first fluidic pathway, the electronic control module configured to activate or deactivate the electronically powered pump disposed within the second fluidic pathway;

a first pressure sensor configured to monitor a pressure of the inflatable member; and

a second pressure sensor configured to monitor a pressure of the fluid reservoir.

2 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein,

the first pressure sensor is communicatively coupled to the electronic control module, the electronic control module is configured to deactivate the electronically powered pump disposed within the first fluidic pathway in response to the pressure of the inflatable member exceeding a threshold level.

3 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the valve disposed within the first fluidic pathway is an active valve configured to be electronically controlled.

4 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the valve disposed within the first fluidic pathway is a passive one-way valve.

5 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the valve disposed within the second fluidic pathway is an active valve configured to be electronically controlled.

6 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the valve disposed within the second fluidic pathway is a passive one-way valve.

7 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable member is a pair of inflatable cylinders configured to be implanted in a corpora cavernosa of the patient.

8 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable member is an inflatable cuff configured to be placed around a urethra of the patient.

9 . The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein the first pressure sensor is disposed fluidically between the pump assembly and the inflatable member, the second pressure sensor is disposed fluidically between the pump assembly and the fluid reservoir.

10 . An implantable device comprising:

a fluid reservoir configured to hold fluid, the fluid reservoir configured to be implanted in a body of a patient at a first location;

an inflatable member configured to be implanted in the body of the patient at a second location;

a pump assembly configured to be implanted in the body of the patient at a third location, the pump assembly configured to transfer the fluid from the fluid reservoir to the inflatable member via a first fluidic pathway in response to the implantable device being in an inflation mode, the pump assembly configured to transfer the fluid from the inflatable member to the fluid reservoir via a second fluidic pathway different than the first fluidic pathway in response to the implantable device being in a deflation mode,

the pump assembly including an electronic control module, an electronically powered pump disposed within the first fluidic pathway, a single valve disposed within the first fluidic pathway, an electronically powered pump disposed within the second fluidic pathway, a single valve disposed within the second fluidic pathway, and an interface element, the electronic control module configured to activate the electronically powered pump disposed within the first fluidic pathway in response to activation of the interface element by the patient;

a first pressure sensor configured to monitor a pressure of the inflatable member; and

a second pressure sensor configured to monitor a pressure of the fluid reservoir.

11 . The implantable device of claim 10 , wherein,

the first pressure sensor being communicatively coupled to the electronic control module, the electronic control module configured to deactivate the electronically powered pump disposed within the first fluidic pathway in response to the pressure of the inflatable member exceeding a threshold level.

12 . The implantable device of claim 10 , wherein the first pressure sensor is disposed fluidically between the pump assembly and the inflatable member, the second pressure sensor is disposed fluidically between the pump assembly and the fluid reservoir.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2020
From: SMITH, NOEL; NOLAN, DARAGH; ALBRECHT, THOMAS ANDREW; WATSCHKE, BRIAN P.
To: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
Reel/Frame 051806/0352 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62792223 · Jan 14, 2019
Related Publication 20200222188A1 · Jul 16, 2020
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