VAGINAL SELF-EXAMINATION SYSTEM

FIELD OF ART

The invention relates to the field of instrumental technique for carrying out medical examinations in the internal cavities of the body using medical instruments and more particularly a system for examining the vaginal cavity and taking a relevant sample for further study. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The vaginal self-examination system disclosed in the present invention has not been disclosed in the prior art.

Systems for self-examination of the internal vaginal cavity known to date are systems, which comprise an elongated casing with two blades on either side of it, in which there is an extendable plunger, which results in a brush of separate bristles. The user has to insert the casing until the blades touch the lips of the vulva and then push the plunger, rotate it a certain number of times, and take the relevant sample with the bristles that come into contact with the vaginal cavity walls. This proposed solution presents a number of disadvantages and problems, both during the self-examination process and during the sampling. The most important issue that arises is that the anatomy of the vaginal cavity of each woman varies, so that it is not possible to take a sample in the same way for all women. The depth of the vagina, as well as the opening of the vulva lips, may vary, often resulting in either not taking a reliable sample from the inside of the vagina as the bristles do not reach the inner vaginal cavity or risking the injury of the vulva lips from the blades extending on either side.

A further operational disadvantage is presented by the need to rotate the plunger a certain number of times, as this is a painful, often unpleasant process. Taking a sample is not always successful, as the bristles have a limited contact surface with the vagina, often failing to take the necessary sample to conduct safe measurements during the examination.

A further drawback of the solutions proposed to date is the fact that it is not ensured to avoid inadvertent use of the system before it is in a suitable position for sampling. This often involves contamination of the bristles with unwanted elements, which makes it difficult or impossible any reliable examination.

A further drawback of the presently proposed systems is that they are made of rigid plungers and casings, making them particularly unpleasant to the woman in their use, since they often find resistance to the walls of the vaginal cavity while at the same time there is a risk of exerting an excessive pressure and breaking into the vagina. It is therefore an object of the present invention to advantageously overcome the aforementioned disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art by proposing a vaginal self-examination system for taking a sample from the vaginal cavity.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vaginal self- examination system, which has a cone-shaped tip casing for easier entry into the vaginal cavity.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vaginal self- examination system which has an extendable stick with a spherical, non slip, rotating handle for firm grip by the user.

A further object of the invention to achieve a successful self- examination by using said system is to have a sponge-shaped stick tip for efficient vaginal sampling.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a vaginal self- examination system which upon entering the vagina and taking a sample does not injure or irritate the lips or the internal vaginal cavity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system for vaginal self-examination, which is made of materials suitable for medical applications, meeting the necessary hygiene needs.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a vaginal self- examination system which has a safety mechanism that allows the user to fully control the proper functioning of the system and to obtain totally reliable samples.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the accompanying figures, in which this is illustrated in an exemplary, non-limiting manner.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the vaginal self-examination system of the present invention with the sample taking extendable stick.

Figure 2 also shows in perspective view the vaginal self-examination system of the invention, wherein the sample taking stick is within the casing.

Figures 3 (a) - (b) show, in exemplary illustrations, the stick with its rotating handle and the sponge-shaped tip for taking the sample, as well as the casing with its conical base.

Figures 4 (a) - (b) show an indicative illustration of the introduction of the vaginal self-examination system and the taking of a sample from the cervix, respectively. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED APPLICATION

Referring now to the accompanying figures, we will describe exemplary applications of the vaginal self-examination system in order to understand its mode of operation, its advantageous features and its innovative technical features.

The vaginal self-examination system of the invention consists of two basic elements, the stick casing (1), fig. 3 (b), and the sample taking stick (2), fig. 3 (a). The casing (1) consists of a rectilinear body having at its lower part a conical base (3), and on its upper side an enlarged periphery, to create the suitable space for the irregular shape tip (4), with a natural sponge configuration, of the sample taking stick (2). The casing (1) is made of suitable plastic for use in medical applications. Such materials are polymers and composites, but this is not a limiting factor for the use of other suitable materials. A basic requirement for the selection of the appropriate material is the flexibility that it must present to allow the user to insert the vaginal self-examination system and route it properly into the vaginal cavity to take the necessary sample.

Inside the casing (1) there is the sample taking stick (2), which is similarly made of a flexible plastic body, which moves freely within the casing (1), Fig. 1. At its lower end there is a spherical handle (5) to be held by the user, while at the top there is the tip (4) for taking a sample from the cervix. The spherical handle (5) has a non-slip surface which allows the user to hold the stick (2) in a stable manner throughout the system use. It is noted that the stick (2) is longer than the casing (1), so that during use it exits sufficiently and can reach the inside of the vaginal cavity to take a reliable sample.

Further features contributing to the efficient and safe use of the vaginal self-examination system include the presence of a safety pin (6), Fig. 2, located on the stick (2), at the spherical handle (5) side, the pin being flexible but protruding at an angle with respect to the stick (2) axis. In this way, when the user presses the spherical handle (5) upwards to allow the tip (4) to come out of the casing (1), the safety pin (6) must be pressed to come almost parallel to the stick (2), and pass into the casing (1). Otherwise, the safety pin (6) finds resistance to the inner side of the conical base (3) preventing further movement of the stick (2) and thus the exit of the tip (4) to take the desired sample.

At this point it is noted that the description of the invention has been made by reference to exemplary embodiments without being limited thereto. Consequently, any change or modification in terms of shape, dimensions, morphology, materials used, manufacturing and assembling components, provided that they are not a novel inventive step and do not contribute to the technical development of the already known are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.