Urinary incontinence device

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved devices for controlling incontinence in women.
Another object of the present invention is to provide improved devices which are relatively comfortable and enable women to live a substantially normal and active life.
Another object of the present invention is to provide improved devices which do not significantly deform the urethra or bladder neck.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide improved devices which capture urine involuntarily passing through the urethra.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide improved devices which keep captured urine away from the urogenital tissues.
Finally, another object of the present invention is to provide improved devices which can be emptied of captured urine without having to remove the device.
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein a urinary incontinence device is provided.
The device comprises a tubular insert having a free distal end, an opposing proximal end, and a channel longitudinally extending therebetween.
An opening extends from the exterior to the channel at the proximal end of the insert.
The insert is configured for being received within a urethra and is sufficiently flexible to be collapsed upon normal constriction of the urethra.
A hydrogel coating is placed over the insert so as to make the insert slippery and thus easy to place within the urethra.
Radially projecting out from the proximal end of the insert is a flange.
The flange is configured to seal against the urethra opening when the insert is within the urethra.
An adhesive can be applied to the flange to both seal and secure the flange against the meatus.
Mounted to the flange on the side opposite the insert is a reservoir tube bounding a chamber.
The reservoir tube has a first end fluid coupled to the channel within the tubular insert and an opposing second end.
The second end of the reservoir tube is flattened and coiled in a natural repose