NL2012120C2 - Device and method for executing a circumcision on a human's penis. - Google Patents

Description

Device and method for executing a circumcision on a human's penis

The invention relates to a device for executing a circumcision on a human's penis, comprising a tubular inner ring for placement underneath the penis' foreskin, and an elastic element for placement circumferentially around the foreskin's outer side opposite to the inner ring so as to entrap the foreskin between the inner ring and the elastic element to prevent blood flowing to the foremost part of the foreskin. The invention also relates to a method for executing a circumcision on the human's penis. Circumcision is defined as circumferential excision of the foreskin or prepuce at or near the level of coronal sulcus, with minimal amount of preputial skin remaining. A known device for circumcision of a human's penis is the Alisclamp known from the Turkish utility model TR 2011 06553 U.

According to Wikipedia other known devices for circumcision, particularly with infants, are the Gomco clamp, the Plastibell and the Mogen clamp. They share a common procedure of application. First, the amount of foreskin to be removed is estimated. The surgeon opens the foreskin via the preputial orifice to reveal the glans underneath and ensures it is normal before separating the inner lining of the foreskin from its attachment to the glans. The surgeon then places the circumcision device, which remains until blood flow has stopped. Finally, the foreskin is amputated.

For adults circumcision is often performed without clamps. A non-surgical alternative is known from the report "Use of devices for adult male circumcision in public health HIV prevention programmes: Conclusions of the Technical Advisory Group on Innovations in Male Circumcision" published by the World Health Organization March 2012. This publication reports on the results and recommendations of using an elastic ring controlled radial compression device, known under the name PrePex. The report particularly deals with applying circumcision for the prevention of HIV infection.

Pre-Pex is a single use, disposable device for circumcision of adult men. The report mentions that such an elas tic ring controlled radial compression device can be used by mid-level providers and that in Rwanda, where a field study with this device has been completed, physicians and mid-level providers (nurses) who are appropriately trained and deemed competent can perform the placement and removal of the device for men 18 years and older, with careful monitoring during phased implementation in actual practice in different types of settings .

The known PrePex device is embodied with a plastic inner ring for placement on the penis underneath the foreskin, and comprises an elastic band for placement circumferentially around the foreskin's outer side opposite to the inner ring. The placement of the elastic band requires the use of an additional ring-shaped tool provided with freely extending legs around which the elastic band must be provided in order to assist its placement around the foreskin's outer side opposite to the inner ring.

It is an object of the invention to further simplify circumcision, requiring less education, equipment and material .

It is a further object of the invention to ensure a low risk of infection when executing a circumcision, so as to relax the requirements on sterility.

It is a further object of the invention to be able to perform a circumcision at a fast pace; notably maximum 5 to 10 minutes .

It is still a further object of the invention to avoid as much as possible the requirement for aftercare.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide circumcised penises that are aesthetically more attractive, with less scar tissue.

It is a further object of the invention to avoid as much as possible pain and swelling's as a result of the circumcision .

These and other objectives of the invention which may become apparent from the following disclosure are promoted with the device and method according to one or more of the appended claims.

In a first aspect of the invention the elastic element is embodied as a spring. Preferably the spring is of steel without elements such as chromium which are known to induce allergic reactions with humans. Such a spring can be manufactured at very low cost and can be applied for circumcision in combination with the said tubular inner ring which is intended for placement underneath the penis' foreskin.

Circumcision can be performed effectively when the spring comprises at least one completely closed turn which in use fully envelopes the foreskin.

Preferably the spring is embodied with two legs at opposite sides of the spring's turn or turns, which legs are releasably connectable to each other. This makes placement of the spring very easy, particularly by arranging that the legs have free extremities and are releasably connectable to each other at said extremities.

Placement of the spring can therefore easily be carried out by arranging that the legs have an open position and a closed position wherein the open position corresponds to disconnected legs and the closed position corresponds to connected legs.

Also removal of the spring is thus simplified; there are no specific or additional tools required for releasing the legs from each other, and the removal can be done by the adult who is being circumcised himself, or if it concerns a circumcision with a young child it can for instance be done by one of his parents.

The functionality of the device of the invention is ensured by arranging that the spring's turn or turns have a diameter that depends on the connection or disconnection of the legs such that said diameter is smaller with connected legs than with disconnected legs. Being placed at its smallest diameter it must press off the blood veins in the foreskin entrapped between the inner ring and the spring.

The invention is also embodied in a method for executing a circumcision on a man's penis making use of the device of the invention.

The method of the invention comprises the placement of a tubular inner ring underneath the penis' foreskin; placing an elastic element circumferentially around the foreskin's outer side opposite to the inner ring; and entrapping the foreskin between the inner ring and the elastic element to prevent blood flowing to the foreskin, wherein the elastic element is provided as a spring with at least one complete closed turn that fully envelopes the foreskin, and wherein the spring is provided with two legs at opposite sides of the spring's turn or turns, which legs are releasably connectable to each other, and wherein after placement of the inner ring underneath the penis' foreskin the turn or turns of the spring are placed in position opposite to the inner ring while the legs are disconnected from each other, whereafter the said legs are connected to each other so as to press the turn or turns towards the inner ring so as to fully entrap the foreskin between the inner ring and the spring's turn or turns and prevent any blood from flowing to the foremost part of the foreskin.

In the method of the invention the foreskin is substantially immediately removed after connecting the legs to each other. The tubular inner ring and the spring are removed at least five days after placement.

The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing of a nonlimiting exemplary embodiment of the device of the invention.

In the drawing: -figure la shows a side view of a tubular inner ring forming part of the device of the invention; -figure lb shows a side view of the elastic element forming part of the device of the invention in its open position; and -figure 2 shows a side view of the elastic element of figure lb when placed in its closed position.

Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.

The drawing shows in figure la and figure lb the constituent parts of the device of the invention, notably in figure la a side view of a tubular inner ring 1 for placement underneath the penis' foreskin, and in figure lb an elastic element 2 for placement circumferentially around the foreskin's outer side opposite to the inner ring 1 so as to entrap the foreskin between the inner ring 1 and the elastic element 2 to prevent blood flowing to the foremost part of the foreskin.

The elastic element 2 is embodied as a spring 3, wherein figure lb shows that the spring 3 comprises one complete closed turn which in use fully envelopes the foreskin. Theoretically it is possible to apply the spring 3 with more than one turn, but this will increase the force required for placing the spring 3 into position. The manner of placement will be discussed hereinafter.

Preferably the spring 3 is a spring embodied in steel suitable for contact with human tissue, that is avoiding elements such as chromium which might induce an allergic reaction .

Figure lb shows further that the spring 3 is embodied with two legs 4, 5 at opposite sides of the spring's turn or turns. The legs 4, 5 have free extremities 4', 5' that are re-leasably connectable to each other. The situation that the legs 4, 5 are connected to each other at their extremities 4', 5' is shown in figure 2. The legs 4, 5 thus have an open position corresponding to disconnected legs 4, 5 which is shown in figure lb; and a closed position corresponding to connected legs 4, 5 which is shown in figure 2. Correspondingly the spring's turn or turns have a diameter that depends on the connection or disconnection of the legs 4, 5 such that said diameter A'' is smaller with connected legs 4, 5 as shown in figure 2 than the value of the diameter A' with disconnected legs 4, 5 which is shown in figure lb.

Making use of this difference in diameter A', A'' of the spring 3 in two different situations, the invention is also embodied in a method for executing a circumcision on a man's penis, comprising the placement of the tubular inner ring 1 underneath the penis' foreskin, followed by placing spring 3 (when it is in its open position shown in figure lb) circumferentially around the foreskin's outer side opposite to the inner ring 1. In this open position the legs 4, 5 are disconnected from each other. The diameter A' of the spring 3 is then larger than the outer diameter B of the inner ring 1 including the thickness of the foreskin covering the inner ring 1.

After initial placement of the spring 3 into position as meant in the previous paragraph, the foreskin is entrapped between the inner ring 1 and the spring 3 to prevent blood flowing to the foremost part of the foreskin by arranging that the two legs 4, 5 of the spring 3 are connected to each other so as to press the turn or turns of the spring 3 towards the inner ring 1. This fully entraps the foreskin between the inner ring 1 and the spring's turn or turns and prevents that any blood will further flow to the foremost part of the foreskin. After connecting the legs 4, 5 to each other the foreskin is substantially immediately removed. The tubular inner ring 1 and the spring 3 are removed at least five days after their placement on the concerning human penis.

Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the device and method of the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the gist of the invention.

The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment.

Claims (10)

Device for performing a circumcision of a human penis, comprising a tubular inner ring (1) for placement under the foreskin of the penis, and an elastic element (2) for placement in the circumferential direction around the outside of the foreskin opposite the inner ring (1) for confining the foreskin between the inner ring (1) and the elastic element (2) to prevent blood from flowing to the foreskin, characterized in that the elastic element (2) is designed as a spring (3) ). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring (3) comprises at least one fully closed coil which completely surrounds the foreskin during use. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the spring (3) is made of steel. Device as claimed in any of the claims 1-3, characterized in that the spring (3) is designed with two legs (4, 5. at opposite ends of the winding or windings of the spring, which legs (4, 5 ) are releasably connectable to each other. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the legs (4, 5) have free ends (4 ', 5') and are releasably connectable to each other at the location of said ends (4 ', 5'). Device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the legs (4, 5) have an open position and a closed position, the open position corresponding to unconnected legs (4, 5) and the closed position corresponding to connected legs (4, 5). Device as claimed in any of the claims 4-6, characterized in that the winding or windings of the spring have a diameter which is dependent on the connection or the absence of a connection between the legs (4, 5) such that said diameter (A '') is smaller with connected legs (Fig. 2) than the diameter (A ') with unconnected legs (Fig. 1b). A method for performing a circumcision of a human penis, comprising the placement of a tubular inner ring (1) under the foreskin of the penis; placement of an elastic element (2) surrounding the foreskin on the outer peripheral side opposite the inner ring (1), and confining the foreskin between the inner ring (1) and the elastic element (2) to prevent blood from flowing to the foreskin, characterized by designing the elastic member (2) as a spring (3) with at least one fully closed coil completely surrounding the foreskin, and providing that the spring (3) has two legs (4, 5) on opposite sides of the winding or windings of the spring, which legs (4, 5) are releasably connectable to each other, wherein after placement of the inner ring (1) under the foreskin of the groove, the winding or windings of the spring ( 3) be placed in position opposite the inner ring (1), while the legs (4, 5) are not connected to each other, after which said legs (4, 5) are connected to each other in order to wind the winding or windings in the inner ring (1) and the foreskin to be completely enclosed between the inner ring (1) and the coil or windings of the spring to prevent any blood from flowing to the foremost part of the foreskin. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that after connecting the legs (4, 5) the foreskin is essentially immediately removed. Method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the tubular inner ring (1) and the spring (3) are removed at least five days after placement.