Tension-free elastic tape

• US 20040144394A1
• Filed: 02/09/2004
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Institute Fur Textil-Und Faserforschung Stuttgart
• Original Assignee: Institute Fur Textil-Und Faserforschung Stuttgart
• Inventors: Wallwiener, Diethelm, Dauner, Martin, Schmees, Hans-Gerd, Planck, Heinrich, Muller, Erhard
• Granted Patent: US 7,901,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/885
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/14 Fabrics characterised by the incorporation by knitting, in one or more thread, fleece, or fabric layers, of reinforcing, binding, or decorative threads; Fabrics incorporating small auxiliary elements, e.g. for decorative purposes pile fabrics D04B21/02; non-woven fabrics in general D04H
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/20 specially adapted for knitting articles of particular configuration
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2509/08 Hernia repair mesh

Abstract

The invention relates to a tension-free elastic tape that is used for the surgical treatment of female urinary incontinence. The inventive tape has a textile structure that allows ingrowth of the tape into the connective tissue. On its longitudinal edges, the tape has edge threads (2, 4, 6, 8) that project from the textile structure of the tape and that especially facilitate a good primary anchoring of the tape in the tissue. The edge threads are firmly incorporated in the structure of the tape.

Claims

1. Tension-free elastic tape for the surgical treatment of female urinary incontinence, the textile structure of which enables the ingrowth of the connective tissue, characterized in that the tape has edge threads (2, 4, 6, 8) on its longitudinal edges which project from the textile structure of the tape for a primary anchoring of the tape in the tissue and which are firmly incorporated in the structure of the tape.

2. The tape according to claim 1, characterized in that the textile structure of the tape is in the form of a knitted fabric.

3. The tape according to claim 2, characterized in that the knitted fabric is in the form of a terry cloth.

4. The tape according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the tape is formed primarily or exclusively of monofils.

5. The tape according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the tape is formed primarily of multifils.

6. The tape according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the tape is made of non-reabsorbable material.

7. The tape according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the tape is made of at least two different filament materials.

8. The tape according to claim 7, characterized in that at least one of the filament materials is reabsorbable.

9. The tape according to claim 8, characterized in that the edge threads (2, 4, 6, 8) consist of reabsorbable filament material.

10. The tape according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the edge threads (2, 6, 8) have the form of loops which are incorporated in the textile structure of the tape.

11. The tape according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the edge threads (4) project from the structure of the tape with their free ends and are incorporated or anchored in the structure of the tape.

12. The tape according to claim 11, characterized in that several parallel extending tapes are made as a textile surface structure, that the tapes are connected to one another in this textile surface structure by connecting threads (4) and that the connecting threads (4) are divided for detaching the tapes and project from the structure of the tape as edge threads after being detached.

13. The tape according to claim 12, characterized in that the free ends of the connecting threads (4) are rounded when separated.

14. The tape according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the edge threads (6) are secured by a floating (7).

15. The tape according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tape is surrounded by an easily removable sheath for the surgical insertion into the tissue.

16. The tape according to claim 15, characterized in that the tape and optionally the sheath are provided with adapters at both ends, said adapters enabling an easily detachable connection with a preferably reuseable insertion instrument.

17. The tape according to claim 16, characterized in that the outer diamenter of the adapter corresponds to the outer diameter of the insertion instrument at the point of connection.

18. The tape according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the tape and optionally the sheath are fastened to the adapters by means of welding, gluing, clamping or/and by means of a shrink-on tube on the adapters or are sprayed onto said adapters.

19. The tape according to claim 16, characterized in that the adapter can be connected to the insertion instrument by means of a screw connection, Luer lock, slide lock or snap connection.