(19) & (11) EP 2 098 209 B1 (12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION (45) Date of publication and mention (51) Int Cl.: of the grant of the patent: A61H 21/00 (2006.01) A61H 39/04 (2006.01) 26.10.2011 Bulletin 2011/43 (21) Application number: 09153839.7 (22) Date of filing: 27.02.2009 (54) Prostate massage apparatus Prostatamassagevorrichtung Appareil de massage de la prostate (84) Designated Contracting States: (72) Inventor: Takashima, Jiro AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR Houston, TX 77055 (US) HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO SE SI SK TR (74) Representative: Giovannini, Francesca et al Osha Liang (30) Priority: 03.03.2008 US 41501 32, avenue de l’Opéra 75002 Paris (FR) (43) Date of publication of application: 09.09.2009 Bulletin 2009/37 (56) References cited: WO-A-2007/012792 US-A- 5 797 950 (73) Proprietor: Takashima, Jiro Houston, TX 77055 (US) Note: Within nine months of the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent in the European Patent Bulletin, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to that patent, in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. Notice of opposition shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). EP 2 098 209 B1 Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR) 1 EP 2 098 209 B1 2 Description [0007] U.S. Patent No. 2,478,786, issued to H. M. Smallen, describes a prostate gland massaging imple- BACKGROUND OF INVENTION ment that is operated by hand. This implement includes a lever having an interior handle which constitutes a pow- Field of the Invention 5 er arm to extend down in front of the abdomen and a substantially horizontal portion extending under the groin [0001] The present invention relates to apparatus for and offset laterally to avoid the genital organs. The im- preventing and treating prostate abnormalities, including plement has an upwardly and forwardly bent posterior benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatitis. More portion which forms the work arm. This work arm extends particularly, the present invention relates to devices for 10 into the rectal passage to bear against the frontal wall massaging the prostate gland. thereof adjacent the prostate gland. The bent portion be- tween the horizontal and the posterior portions serves Background Art as a fulcrum point against the front wall of the rectal open- ing when the implement is subject to pivotal movement [0002] Prostate isa compound tubuloalveolar exocrine 15 around this point. glad that is part of the male reproduction system in mam- [0008] The inventor of the present application has in- mals. Common prostate abnormalities include benign vented several prostate massaging devices, as disclosed prostate hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis, and prostate can- in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,797,950; 5,861,000; 6,589,193; cer. BPH is a condition with enlarged prostate gland, of- 6,802,850; and 7,211,059; andpublished U.S. Patent Ap- ten occurs in older men. Severe BPH can cause urination 20 plication Nos. 2002/0040200; 2004/0158182; and difficulties due to the enlarged prostate pressing against 2005/0266048. These devices are operated by the con- the urethra. BPH can be treated with medication or with traction of the sphincter muscles, without the need of surgery that removes part of the prostate. hand operations. FIGs. 1 and 2 illustrate two of such de- [0003] Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland. vices. There are different forms of prostatitis. Acute prostatitis 25 [0009] As shown in FIG. 1, a device for prostate mas- and chronic bacterial prostatitis may be treated with an- sage has a generally rod- shape body comprising a head tibiotics, while chronic non- bacterial prostatitis, which ac- portion 112 designed to contact the prostate through the counts for about 95% of prostatitis diagnoses, may be rectum, a neck portion 123, and a retainer portion 114. treated with a variety of modalities, including α-adrener- The neck portion 123, having gradually reducing diame- gic blockers, physical therapy, psychotherapy, and anti- 30 ters from the head portion 112, is designed to allow con- histamines. traction of the sphincter muscle to push the device up- [0004] Chronic non- bacterial prostatitis may lead to flu- ward to massage the prostate. The retainer portion 114, id build up in the prostate, resulting in a congested pros- which joins the neck portion 123 at the bend 121 to form tate. One treatment for chronic non-bacterial prostatitis a generally C-shape, is designed to prevent the device is the prostate massage. Some urologists believe that 35 from completely slipping into the rectum and also to con- the most effective treatment for such prostatitis is for the tact the perineum-groin area, thereby forcing the head doctor to massage the prostate at regular intervals. How- portion 112 to contact the prostate. ever, such massages can be difficult to obtain because [0010] FIGs. 2A and 2B show another prostate mas- it often requires frequent visits by the patients to doctor’s saging device invented by the present inventor, illustrat- offices, which is associated with considerable expense 40 ing the location of the device in the rectum 24 before and inconvenience.Therefore, there is a need for devices (FIG. 2A) and after (FIG. 2B) sphincter muscle 26 con- that would allow an individual to carry out his own pros- traction. As the device is pushed up by the sphincter 26 tatic massage. contraction, the head portion 42 presses against the [0005] Since prostate is located proximate the anus, prostate 28, as shown in FIG. 2B. When the sphincter various devices that can contact prostate gland through 45 muscles 26 relax, the device will slide downward, result- rectal wall have been devised in the art. For example, ing in less compression of the prostate, as shown in FIG. U.S. Patent No. 4,542,753, issued to Brenman et al., dis- 2A. Therefore, repeated contraction and relaxation of the closes an apparatus having electrodes and circuitry for sphincter muscles can produce the desired massage of generating electrical signals to stimulate prostate gland the prostate without using a hand. and erectile tissue, after the device is disposed in the 50 [0011] These prior art devices provide convenient rectum. ways to massage a congested prostate. However, there [0006] U.S. Patent No. 5,404,881, issued to Cathaud remains a need for improved prostate massage devices. et al., describes a trans-rectal probe made of a flexible self-supporting polymer material. The flexibility of the pol- SUMMARY OF INVENTION ymer material enables it to comply with the shape therein, 55 making it possible to achieve safe and reliable positioning [0012] One aspect of the invention as claimed relates of an instrument for detection or therapeutic treatment of to apparatus for massaging a prostate. An apparatus in an organ (such as prostate) through the rectum. accordance with one embodiment of the invention in- 2 3 EP 2 098 209 B1 4 cludes a body having a substantially ellipsoid shape and ous shapes of the bodies and retainer bars that may sized to fit in a rectum through a sphincter, wherein the be used with embodiments of the invention. body comprises a head portion and a neck portion, wherein the head portion is configured to contact the FIG. 8 shows an illustration of a sectional view of a prostate through the rectum wall when inserted in the 5 lower portion of a human body, illustrating the loca- rectum, and wherein the neck portion has a tapered sec- tions of the two acupressure points. tion with gradually reducing diameters distal to the head portion; and a retainer bar joined the body at one end of FIG. 9 shows a diagram illustrating a prostate mas- the neck portion to form a substantially T-shaped struc- saging apparatus in use. ture, wherein the retainer bar comprises two contact10 points for contacting a first acupressure point, which is DETAILED DESCRIPTION located in the perineum region between the anus and the scrotum, and a second acupressure point, which is lo- [0015] Embodiments of the invention relates to pros- cated about midway between the anus and the lower end tate massage apparatus that rely on sphincter muscles of the coccyx, wherein the head portion and the two con- 15 to provide the massage action, i.e., converting the tact points are configured such that they can contact the sphincter’s contraction and relaxation actions to an up- prostate, the first acupressure point, and the second acu- and-down motion of the device in the rectum to massage pressure point simultaneously. the prostate. In addition, the apparatus in accordance [0013] Other aspects and advantages of the invention with embodiments of the invention can provide pressure will be apparent from the following description and the 20 in the perineum region and a region midway between the appended claims. anus and the lower end of the coccyx (tail bone) to pro- duce acupressure therapeutic effects to stimulate these BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS areas for therapeutic purposes. Embodiments of the in- ventionare based on unexpected findings that pressuring [0014] 25 the two acupressure points while massaging the prostate can provide improved user experience. Specifically, FIG. 1 shows a prior art prostate massaging appa- compression at these two acupressure points while mas- ratus. saging the prostate was unexpectedly found to provide comfortable and pleasant feelings to the users. The FIGs. 2A and 2B show a prior art prostate massaging 30 pleasant feelings will encourage the use of the devices apparatus in use.