referring to fig1 the prosthetic bladder is comprised of a fixed volume reservoir 10 having an inlet channel 12 integrally formed in the top , a discharge channel 16 integrally formed in the bottom , and a vent channel 14 integrally formed in the front of said reservoir . as illustrated in fig1 and 2 , the vent channel 14 comprises a removeable endpiece 15 having a first male end insertable in the end of said vent channel 14 . tissue bonding buttresses 36 , as shown in fig ., 2 , lie on the outer surface of vent channel 14 . these buttresses are made from flexible , inert , porous materials which promote tissue growth . such materials are described in u . s . pats . no . 3 , 992 , 725 and 4 , 576 , 608 to homsy . improved fixation of the prosthetic bladder may be achieved by using an intracutaneous fixation device . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , an intracutaneous fixation device 99 slideably engages the outer surface of vent channel 14 . in a preferred embodiment , as depicted in fig1 and 2 , the intracutaneous fixation device 99 is a flexible flange , constructed of porous material . the porosity of intracutaneous fixation device 99 is enhanced by the multiplicity of micropores 98 and macropores 97 which permeate intracutaneous fixation device 99 . the micropores 98 are depicted in fig1 a , 1b , 2a , 2b and 3 for illustrative purposes only . the miropores 98 are actually of a size too small to be visible to the naked eye . intracutaneous fixation device 99 is constructed of a tissue ingrowth promoting flexible material which can be trimmed by a surgeon using common surgical tools . the flexing properties of intracutaneous fixation device 99 give it increased resistance to extrusion failure , a problem which has commonly occurred in stiffer fixation devices such as stiff flanges . a perforated cap 18 is designed to tightly fit over the second male end of the endpiece 15 . this tight fit may be accomplished via a snap fit arrangement wherein a groove 26 on the inner wall of the perforated cap 18 snaps over a lip 25 on the second end of the endpiece 15 . this snap fit is intended to provide a liquid tight seal between the perforated cap 18 and the endpiece 15 . such a seal may also be accomplished by other mechanical coupling arrangements such as a screw on cap . the assembled configuration of the perforated cap 18 , endpiece 15 , and vent channel 14 is depicted in fig2 . the perforated cap 18 comprises an air permeable , water impermeable membrane 19 internally housed in cap 18 . the membrane is preferably made from a tetrafluoroethylene polymer material such as that sold under the trademark gore - tex or other air permeable , water impermeable material . a discharge valve 17 is installed in or at the mouth of discharge channel 16 as depicted in fig1 and 4 , respectively . this discharge valve 17 may be manually opened and closed through the use of a linkage mechanism 11 . in the embodiment depicted in fig1 the linkage mechanism 11 is a cable . discharge channel 16 also contains tissue bonding buttresses 36 on its outer surface as shown in fig8 . these buttresses are of the same type as those applied to the external surface of vent channel 14 . the outer surface of inlet channel 12 also contains tissue bonding buttresses 36 , as shown in fig2 . another embodiment of the discharge valve 17 and linkage mechanism 11 is depicted in fig3 and 4 . referring to fig4 a hydraulically actuated discharge valve 17 is located in discharge channel 16 . a linkage mechanism comprising hydraulic line 11 and piston 23 couples discharge valve 17 to valve actuator 22 . valve 17 may be actuated by a hydraulic fluid pressurization device such as a squeeze bulb . as shown in fig3 valve actuator 22 is a squeeze bulb . the hydraulic line 11 is externally mounted on reservoir 10 and vent channel 14 and enclosed in linkage casing 24 . referring to fig5 discharge valve 17 may also be opened and closed by radio signal actuation . the valve actuator 22 is a signal transmitter capable of transmitting a signal that is received by signal receiver 28 . signal receiver 28 is coupled to electromechanical servomechanism 27 . electromechanical servomechanism 27 is capable of opening and closing discharge valve 17 upon receipt of radio signals from actuator 22 . referring to fig1 and 5 , level sensors 20 are internally mounted in the upper portion of reservoir 10 . in a preferred embodiment , these level sensors are two electrodes having a voltage potential between them . other level sensors such as a float and lever switch or a radioisotopic source and receiver may also be used . electrodes 20 are placed at a predetermined level in reservoir 10 . when the urine level in reservoir 10 reaches this predetermined level the circuit is completed between the electrodes 20 . this circuit completion triggers a level alarm 21 which is electrically coupled to level sensors 20 . in a preferred embodiment , level alarm 21 has a time delayed actuation to avoid false alarms due to urine splashing . in a preferred embodiment , level alarm 21 is a microchip which gives off an audible signal in response to an electrical input . this microchip is housed in the same casing as valve actuator 22 . the level alarm may also be tactile signal such as an electric shock or a vibration . the uniqueness of the present invention is better understood in light of the surgical procedures used to implant this device and its interaction with the biological medium surrounding it . in a method embodiment , the present invention further comprises the surgical procedure used to implant the prosthetic urinary bladder described above . these procedures are illustrated in fig6 - 8 in a male patient . it is understood that these procedures are equally applicable to a female patient . in the first surgical step as shown in fig6 a defunctionalized prosthetic bladder is implanted in the patient &# 39 ; s pelvis and anastomosed to the patient &# 39 ; s urethra 32 . the vent channel 14 of the prosthetic bladder is pointed toward the inner abdominal wall of the patient . intracutaneous fixation device 99 may be slideably affixed to vent channel 14 prior to implantation of the prosthetic bladder . alternatively , intracutaneous fixation device 99 may be slideably positioned onto vent channel 14 during the implantation of the prosthetic bladder in the patient . in a preferred embodiment where intracutaneous fixation device 99 is a flange , sutures may used to connect the flange to buttresses 36 intraoperatively . at the time of implantation , the outer diameter of intracutaneous fixation device 99 will be trimmed to correspond to the anatomical requirements of the tissue in which it will be located . concurrently with the installation of this prosthetic bladder , a nonrefluxing intestinal conduit 30 is created in the patient &# 39 ; s body . the implanted prosthesis is given a period of at least several days to allow fibroblastic fixation of tissue surrounding the prosthesis to the intracutaneous fixation device 99 and to the porous , inert , flexible buttresses 36 that are bonded on the external surface of the reservoir as detailed in fig6 . in some cases this fixation period takes several weeks . after the fibroblastic fixation to the tissue bonding buttresses 36 occurs , a second surgical procedure , as shown in fig7 is performed . in this procedure a plug of abdominal skin is removed to access the end of the vent channel 14 . a removable endpiece 15 may be externally coated with a tissue ingrowth promoting porous material such as those described in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 992 , 725 and 4 , 576 , 608 to homsy . the material described in the &# 39 ; 725 patent is sold under the trademark proplast . other materials may also be suitable as an external coating for endpiece 15 thereby creating a cosmetically attractive , watertight , tissue / prosthesis bond that is resistant to bacterial infection . these materials include woven polyurethane , polyester or polytetrafluoroethylene as well as materials sold under the trademarks dacron and gore - tex . endpiece 15 is inserted into the end of the vent channel 14 . endpiece 15 is of sufficient length such that the outer male end extends to or beyond the outer surface of the patient &# 39 ; s abdomen . the perforated cap 18 with the internally housed membrane 19 is then installed on the outer end of the endpiece 15 . the cap 18 fits on tightly in a snug fit or screw on type arrangement . the prosthesis remains defunctionalized until skin and abdominal wall tissue heal around the endpiece 15 and the vent cap 18 . it is envisioned that skin will grow into the proplast on the outer surface of the endpiece 15 , if endpiece 15 is externally coated with proplast . the performance of the defunctionalized prosthesis may be repeatedly tested with water or with infected urine with and without the additions of pharmaceuticals or chemicals to thoroughly evaluate the functionability and integrity of the prosthesis . in a third surgical procedure , as shown in fig8 the intestinal conduit 30 is coupled or anastomosed to the inlet channel 12 located in the top of the prosthesis . the discharge channel 16 and the vent channel 14 are of sufficient diameter to permit installation and removal of the urethral discharge valve 17 and an inlet anti - reflux valve by endoscopic manipulation . upon completion of the intestinal conduit anastomosis , the prosthetic bladder is ready for normal operation in the patient . many modifications and variations may be made in the embodiments described herein and depicted in the accompanying drawings without departing from the concept of the present invention . accordingly , it is clearly understood that the embodiments described and illustrated herein are illustrative only and are not intended as a limitation upon the scope of the present invention .
the present invention relates to a fixed volume prosthetic urinary bladder for use in a human being . the invention , more particularly , concerns a prosthetic urinary bladder comprising a vent channel having a removable cap and a urethral discharge valve . the present invention is intended for implantation in a human being such that the vent channel protrudes through the abdominal wall and the vent cap lies flush with the outer surface of the abdomen .