The goal of the proposed effort is to develop a remote-controlled urinary incontinence valve for adult patients. This valve will be inserted using a non--surgical in-office procedure, and will reside within the urethra at the neck of the bladder. The valve will be battery powered, and will be replaced with a new valve at two-month intervals. The low cost of the device allows frequent replacement, thereby ensuring proper monitoring of the patient's health and reducing the likelihood of serious complications. In operation, the patient would press a handheld controller against the lower abdomen whenever voiding is desired, and push a button. The handheld unit transmits a magnetic command signal through the abdominal tissues which directs the valve to open, allowing the bladder to void. When finished, the patient commands the valve to return to its closed state. Under Phase I, a proof-of-principle demo system will be constructed to validate the overall system concept. Animal testing is planned for the second half of Phase II. This device is expected to become the treatment of choice for a significant fraction of the adult incontinent population.
