The German Patent and Trade Mark Office has granted the Institute FAPS a patent for the removal of biofilms and deposits in implants and catheters. The principle is applicable to implants located in the urethra, for example for the therapy of urinary incontinence, as well as for urinary catheters. The core of the invention is to provide these implants or catheters with a flexible, tubular lumen through which urine flows and is thereby caused to oscillate, in order to prevent or greatly reduce biofilm formation and a build-up of other deposits on the inner side through which the urine flows. The oscillation is stimulated by the urine flow itself, for example by a turbulent flow. An additional external system with some form of active excitation by mechatronic transducers is therefore not required.

The patent was developed in the context of research on an intraurethral implant for urinary incontinence therapy.

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