Surgical instrument and method for treating female urinary incontinence

• US 20010049467A1
• Filed: 06/18/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brian H. Luscombe, Chao-Chen Chen, Jorn Lehe
• Original Assignee: Brian H. Luscombe, Chao-Chen Chen, Jorn Lehe
• Inventors: Luscombe, Brian H., Chen, Chao-Chen, Lehe, Jorn
• Application Number:
  US09/883,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049467A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00087 Tools A61B17/00234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/307 for the urinary organs, e.g. urethroscopes, cystoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06109 Big needles, either gripped by hand or connectable to a handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00805 Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06028 by means of a cylindrical longitudinal blind bore machined at the suture-receiving end of the needle, e.g. opposite to needle tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06042 located close to needle tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06047 located at the middle of the needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06057 Double-armed sutures, i.e. sutures having a needle attached to each end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0608 J-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06085 having a blunt tip blunt dissectors A61B2017/320044
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3614 using optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0045 Support slings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/25 Artificial sphincters and devices for controlling urinary incontinence

Abstract

Described is a surgical instrument and method for treating female urinary stress incontinence. The instrument includes a curved needle-like element defining in part a curved shaft having a distal end and a proximal end. The diameter of the needle decreases from the proximal end to the distal end, and the needle terminates in a blunt tip. A tape attaches to the needle for implanting into the lower abdomen of a female to provide support to the urethra. The tape may be made from synthetic and natural materials. The needle and tape may also be modified to allow the surgeon to attach and detach the tape during the surgical operation.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument for treating female urinary stress incontinence comprising:

a) a tape for implanting into the lower abdomen of a female to provide support to the urethra;

b) a removable sheath surrounding the tape; and

c) a curved needle-like element defining in part a curved shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, and means at the distal end for attaching to the tape.

2. The surgical instrument of

claim 1

wherein the diameter of the needle varies from the distal end to the proximal end.

3. The surgical instrument of

claim 2

wherein the distal end of the needle has a diameter from about 3 mm to about 5 mm.

4. The surgical instrument of

claim 3

wherein the proximal end of the needle has a diameter from about 5 mm to about 6 mm.

5. The surgical instrument of

claim 1

wherein the tape comprises connecting means and the needle comprises attaching means for detachably accepting the connecting means.

6. The surgical instrument of

claim 1

wherein the connecting means is a tab-like element and the attaching means is a slot.