Materials, Functionalities and Processing of a Medical Device to Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation

Urinary Incontinence is defined as the condition of involuntary loss of urine and leads to weakening of the pelvic floor muscles. The rehabilitation of these muscles with Kegel exercises is the first-line approach to treat this condition. However, most patients are unable to perform these exercises on their own, so medical devices need to be introduced to assist and strengthen this area. Thus, a portable intravaginal probe was developed for the patient to perform pelvic floor rehabilitation at home. The probe will measure the maximum voluntary contraction of the muscles, sending these values to an app via Bluetooth, where the patient can control the training program and view the results of the treatment. The device was designed to be simple and adaptable to the vaginal area. Liquid silicone rubber was chosen as the best material to make the prototypes, given its biocompatibility, flexibility, and durability. Injecting the silicone between two molds was the process chosen to build the prototypes, since the probe needs to be hollow to contain the necessary components. Later, it will be necessary to test the prototypes to ensure they meet safety, performance, and durability standards.