Rectal Injection Device And Method Of Operation Thereof

Abstract

A rectal injection device configured to inject a liquid into the tissues around the internal anal sphincter of a rectum. The rectal injection device comprises: i) an elongated tube having a distal end and a proximal end; ii) a rounded head coupled to the distal end of the elongated tube; iii) a needle extending from the proximal end of the elongated tube into the rounded head, wherein a tip of the needle is aligned with a hole in the rounded head; and iv) an actuator mechanism configured to move the needle to a deployed position in which the tip of the needle extends through the hole and into the anal tissues and to move the needle to a retracted position in which the tip of the needle is withdrawn within the rounded head.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rectal injection device configured to inject a liquid into the anal tissues of a rectum, the rectal injection device comprising:
 an elongated tube having a distal end and a proximal end;   a rounded head coupled to the distal end of the elongated tube and having a greater width than the elongated tube, wherein the rounded head has a first surface configured to seat against an anal dentate of the rectum and wherein the first surface forms a plurality of holes between an interior of the rounded head and an exterior of the rounded head;   a plurality of needles extending from the proximal end of the elongated tube into the rounded head, wherein each of the plurality of needles is bent at an acute angle such that a tip of each needle is aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of holes in the first surface of the rounded head;   an actuator mechanism coupling each of the plurality of needles to a trigger, wherein when the trigger is moved to a first position, the actuator mechanism moves each of the plurality of needles to a deployed position in which the tip of each needle extends through a corresponding hole to the exterior of the rounded head, and wherein when the trigger is moved to a second position, the actuator mechanism moves each of the plurality of needles to a retracted position in which the tip of each needle is withdrawn within the rounded head; and   at least one reservoir positioned near the proximal end of the elongated tube and coupled to a root of each of the plurality of needles, wherein the at least one reservoir is configured to dispense the liquid through the plurality of needles into the anal tissues when the needles are in the deployed position.   
     
     
         2 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rounded head has a generally bulbous shape. 
     
     
         3 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rounded head has a generally conical shape. 
     
     
         4 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rounded head has a generally frustoconical shape. 
     
     
         5 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the needles are evenly spaced within the rounded head. 
     
     
         6 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one reservoir comprises a syringe coupled to the plurality of needles. 
     
     
         7 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one reservoir comprises a plurality of syringes, each of the syringes coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of needles. 
     
     
         8 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a handle, wherein the handle is configured to contain the actuator mechanism and the trigger. 
     
     
         9 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the handle is configured to contain the reservoir. 
     
     
         10 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the handle is configured to be gripped by a human hand while the trigger is being moved between the first and second positions. 
     
     
         11 . A rectal injection device configured to inject a liquid into the anal tissues of a rectum, the rectal injection device comprising:
 an elongated tube having a distal end and a proximal end;   a rounded head coupled to the distal end of the elongated tube;   a needle extending from the proximal end of the elongated tube into the rounded head, wherein a tip of the needle is aligned with a hole in the rounded head; and   an actuator mechanism configured to move the needle to a deployed position in which the tip of the needle extends through the hole and into the tissues and to move the needle to a retracted position in which the tip of the needle is withdrawn within the rounded head.   
     
     
         12 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a reservoir coupled to a root of the needle and configured to dispense the liquid through the needle into the tissues when the needle is in the deployed position. 
     
     
         13 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the reservoir comprises a syringe coupled to the needle. 
     
     
         14 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the rounded head has a generally bulbous shape. 
     
     
         15 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the rounded head has a generally conical shape. 
     
     
         16 . The rectal injection device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the rounded head has a generally frustoconical shape.