Tissue anchoring devices, biological vessel suspending devices and systems and methods utilizing same

• US 20010039423A1
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Envita II, LLC, Tag Medical Devices
• Original Assignee: Jeffry B. Skiba, Ran Oren, William E. Crisp
• Inventors: Crisp, William E., Oren, Ran, Skiba, Jeffry B.
• Granted Patent: US 6,908,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00805 Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0618 elastic, e.g. stretchable

Abstract

An elastic suspension device is disclosed. The elastic suspension device includes an element including an elastic connector and at least one anchor at an end portion of the connector, the at least one anchor is designed for anchoring the elastic connector to a tissue.

Claims

1. A tissue anchoring device, comprising an element including a connector and at least one inflatable anchor at an end portion of said connector, when inflated said at least one inflatable anchor is designed for anchoring said connector to a tissue.

2. The tissue anchoring device of

claim 1

, wherein at least a portion of said element is designed and constructed for dampening a pulling force exerted thereon.

3. The tissue anchoring device of

claim 1

, wherein said at least a portion of said element is constructed of an elastic material capable of elastically complying to a pulling force exerted thereon.

4. The tissue anchoring device of

claim 1

, wherein said connector includes a spring capable of elastically complying to a pulling force exerted thereon.

5. The tissue anchoring device of

claim 2

, wherein said at least one inflatable anchor is designed and constructed for dampening a pulling force exerted thereon.

6. A tissue anchoring assembly comprising:

(a) a tissue anchoring device including an element having a connector and at least one inflatable anchor at an end portion of said connector, when inflated said at least one inflatable anchor is designed for anchoring said connector to a tissue; and

(b) a guide being detachably attachable to said tissue anchoring device, said guide being for inserting and positioning said tissue anchoring device within said tissue.

7. The tissue anchoring assembly of

claim 6

, wherein at least a portion of said element is designed and constructed for dampening a pulling force exerted thereon.

8. The tissue anchoring assembly of

claim 7

, wherein said at least a portion of said element is constructed of an elastic material capable of elastically complying to said pulling force exerted thereon.

9. The tissue anchoring assembly of

claim 7

, wherein said connector includes a spring capable of elastically complying to said pulling force exerted thereon.

10. The tissue anchoring assembly of

claim 7

, wherein said at least one inflatable anchor is designed and constructed for dampening said pulling force exerted thereon.

11. A tissue anchoring system comprising:

(a) at least one tissue anchoring device including an element having a connector and at least one inflatable anchor at an end portion of said connector, when inflated said at least one inflatable anchor is designed for anchoring said connector to a tissue; and

(b) a biological vessel suspending device being connectable to said at least one tissue anchoring device.

12. The tissue anchoring system of

claim 11

, wherein said biological vessel suspending device includes a generally U-shaped element for engaging a biological vessel therein, said U-shaped element having inner walls being designed and constructed for preventing disengagement of said biological vessel from said U-shaped element.

13. The tissue anchoring system of

claim 12

, wherein said inner walls of said biological vessel suspending device include inflatable elements.

14. The tissue anchoring system of

claim 12

, wherein said inner walls of said biological vessel suspending device are formed with ridges and grooves.

15. A tissue anchoring device, comprising an element including a connector and at least one anchor being designed for engaging a tissue at an end portion of said connector, at least a portion of said element being designed and constructed for dampening a pulling force exerted thereon.

16. The tissue anchoring device of

claim 15

, wherein said at least one anchor is an inflatable anchor designed for anchoring said connector to said tissue when inflated.

17. The tissue anchoring device of

claim 15

, wherein at least a portion of said connector is constructed of an elastic material capable of elastically complying to said pulling force.

18. The tissue anchoring device of

claim 15

, wherein said connector includes a spring capable of elastically complying to said pulling force.

19. A tissue anchoring assembly comprising:

(a) a tissue anchoring device including an element having a connector and at least one anchor being designed for engaging a tissue at an end portion of said connector, at least a portion of said element being designed and constructed for dampening a pulling force exerted thereon; and

(b) a guide being detachably attached to said tissue anchoring device, said guide being for inserting and positioning said tissue anchoring device within said tissue.

20. The tissue anchoring assembly of

claim 19

, wherein said at least one anchor is an inflatable anchor designed for anchoring said connector to said tissue when inflated.

21. The tissue anchoring assembly of

claim 19

, wherein at least a portion of said connector is constructed of an elastic material capable of elastically complying to said pulling force.

22. The tissue anchoring assembly of

claim 19

, wherein said connector includes a spring capable of elastically complying to said pulling force.

23. A tissue anchoring system comprising:

(a) at least one tissue anchoring device including an element having a connector and at least one anchor being designed for engaging a tissue at an end portion of said connector, at least a portion of said element being designed and constructed for dampening a pulling force exerted thereon; and

(b) a biological vessel suspending device being connectable to said at least one tissue anchoring device.

24. The tissue anchoring system of

claim 23

, wherein said at least one anchor is an inflatable anchor designed for anchoring said connector to said tissue when inflated.

25. The tissue anchoring system of

claim 23

, wherein at least a portion of said connector is constructed of an elastic material capable of elastically complying to said pulling force.

26. The tissue anchoring system of

claim 23

, wherein said connector includes a spring capable of elastically complying to said pulling force.

27. The tissue anchoring system of

claim 23

, wherein said biological vessel suspending device includes a generally U-shaped element for engaging a vessel therein, said U-shaped element having inner walls being designed and constructed for preventing disengagement of said biological vessel from said U-shaped element.

28. The tissue anchoring system of

claim 27

, wherein said inner walls of said biological vessel suspending device include inflatable elements.

29. The tissue anchoring system of

claim 27

, wherein said inner walls of said biological vessel suspending device are formed with ridges and grooves.

30. A biological vessel suspending device comprising a generally U-shaped element for engaging a biological vessel therein, said U-shaped element having inner walls being designed and constructed for preventing disengagement of said biological vessel from said U-shaped element.

31. The biological vessel suspending device of

claim 30

, wherein said inner walls include inflatable elements.

32. The biological vessel suspending device of

claim 30

, wherein said inner walls are formed with ridges and grooves.

33. The biological vessel suspending device of

claim 31

, wherein said inner walls are further designed and constructed capable of at least partially obstructing a flow through said biological vessel when engaged in said generally U shaped element.

34. The biological vessel suspending device of

claim 30

, further comprising at least one connector forming a part of, or being attached to, said generally U-shaped element, said at least one connector being for connecting the biological vessel suspending device with a tissue anchoring device.

35. The biological vessel suspending device of

claim 31

, wherein a degree of inflation of said inflatable elements determines a flow through said biological vessel.

36. A method of suspending a biological vessel, the method comprising:

(a) anchoring at least one tissue anchoring device within a tissue, said at least one tissue anchoring device including an element having at least one anchor at an end portion of said connector, said at least one anchor being designed for anchoring said connector to a tissue;

(b) engaging the biological vessel within a biological vessel suspending device being designed and constructed for preventing disengagement of said biological vessel therefrom; and

(c) connecting said biological vessel suspending device to said at least one tissue anchoring device thereby suspending the biological vessel.

37. The method of

claim 36

, wherein said at least one anchor of said at least one tissue anchoring device is an inflatable anchor designed for anchoring said connector to a tissue when inflated.

38. The method of

claim 36

, wherein at least a portion of said element of said at least one tissue anchoring device is designed and constructed for dampening a pulling force exerted thereon by said biological vessel suspending device connected thereto.

39. The method of

claim 36

, wherein at least a portion of said element of said at least one tissue anchoring device is composed of an elastic material capable of complying to a pulling force exerted on said element by said biological vessel suspending device connected thereto.

40. The method of

claim 36

, wherein said biological vessel suspending device is further designed and constructed capable of partially obstructing a flow through said biological vessel when engaged within said biological vessel suspending device.

41. The method of

claim 36

, wherein said biological vessel suspending device includes a generally U-shaped element having inner walls being designed and constructed for preventing disengagement of said biological vessel from said U-shaped element.

42. The method of

claim 36

, wherein the biological vessel is the urethra.

43. The method of

claim 36

, wherein said inner walls include inflatable elements.

44. The method of

claim 36

, wherein said inner walls are formed with ridges and grooves.

45. The method of

claim 43

, wherein a degree of inflation of said inflatable elements determines a flow through said biological vessel.

46. An assembly useful for accurately positioning a bladder neck and/or urethra prior to a surgical suspension thereof, the assembly comprising:

(a) at least one target marker positionable at an abdominal skin region;

(b) a saddle shaped element for engaging the bladder neck or urethra; and

(c) at least one connecting element being for attaching said saddle shaped element to said at least one target marker thereby positioning said saddle shaped element relative to said at least one target marker and enabling accurate positioning of the bladder neck and/or urethra when engaged by said saddle shaped element.

47. The assembly of

claim 46

, wherein said at least one connecting element is designed and constructed to enable modifying a distance between said at least one target marker and said saddle shaped element when interconnected thereby.