Mini sub-urethral-cervical support

• US 20050107805A1
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson International Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson International Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Bouffier, Bernard, Arnaud, Axel
• Granted Patent: US 7,628,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/119
• 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 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 2017/0404 Buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0045 Support slings

Abstract

The invention relates to a surgical instrument (2) that is used to implant a sub-urethral/cervical support. The invention is characterised in that it comprises at least one band (32) and two anchoring devices (2). Each of said anchoring devices (2) comprises a needle (10), the point of which supports a flexible anchoring element (22). Each of the aforementioned flexible anchoring elements (22) is connected to one end of the band (32) and each of said elements can be folded back along the length of the needle (10) when the needle is being passed through the biological tissues and subsequently deployed when said needle has cleared the tissues.

Claims

1. Surgical instrument (2, 4, 6) for implantation of a sub urethro-cervical support characterised in that it comprises at least one striplet (32;

34;

36) and two anchor devices (2, 4, 9), each anchor device (2, 4, 6) including a needle (10) in which the penetrating end (12) supports a flexible anchor element (22;

24;

29), each anchor element (22;

24;

29) being connected to one end of the striplet (32;

34;

36) and can be turned down over the length of the needle (10) while the needle is passing through the biological tissues and deployed when it has passed through these tissues.

2. Instrument according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises two striplets (32, 34), one end of each striplet (32, 34) being connected to one of the anchor elements (22, 24) and can be connected to the other striplet by connection means (42, 44) to form a supporting loop under the urethra.

3. Instrument according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the needle (10) has a bearing surface (16) supporting the anchor element (22, 24, 29), close to its penetrating end.

4. Instrument according to claim 1, characterised in that the needle (10) is hollow and forms a duct opening up at its two ends (12, 14) and in that the end (14) of the needle (10) not supporting the anchor element (22;

24), can be connected to injection/suction means (18)

5. Instrument according to claim 1, characterised in that the striplet(s) (32, 34, 36) is (are) surrounded by a protective sheath.

6. Sub-urethral-cervical supporting device, characterised in that it includes two anchor elements (22, 24), at least one striplet (32;

34), each anchor element (22, 24) being connected to one end of a striplet.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the anchor elements (22, 24) are flexible washers made of silicone reinforced with polypropylene.

8. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the anchor elements (29) have a conically shaped end piece (26), and at least two portions of striplets (7, 8) forming ribs.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterised in that the end piece (26) comprises two rigid parts (27, 29) that can be inserted one into the other, between which striplets (36) or portions of striplets (7, 8) are held.

10. Device according to claim 8, characterised in that the anchor elements comprise striplet portions arranged and fused together in position.

11. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that it comprises two striplets (32, 34, 36) each of which has one end connected to one of the anchor elements (22;

24;

29).

12. Device according to claim 11, characterised in that it comprises connection means (42;

44) to connect the two striplets (32, 34, 36) together.

13. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that each striplet (32;

34;

36) is made of polypropylene.

16. Process for implantation of a sub urethro-cervical support like that defined in claim 6, characterised in that it comprises the following steps:

two ends of the striplet (32, 34) are inserted into the body through the vagina, and on each side of the urethra, each end being fitted with an anchor element (22, 24);

each anchor element (22, 24) is placed on the fascia of pelvic muscles.

17. Process according to claim 16, characterised in that the sub-urethral-cervical support comprises two striplets (32, 34, 36), and one end of each striplet is connected to one of the anchor elements (22;

24;

29). This process includes the step during which one of the striplets is connected to the other by connection means (42, 44) to form a supporting loop under the urethra, the connection means (42, 44) not being located under the urethra.

14. Surgical instrument for implantation of a sub urethrocervical support comprising at least one needle (10) with a penetrating end (12), two anchor elements (22, 24, 29), each of these anchor elements can be located on the penetrating end (12) of the needle (10) and can be turned down over the length of the needle (10) while the needle is passing through the biological tissues and deployed when it has passed through these tissues, each anchor element (22, 24, 29) being connected to an end of a striplet (32, 34, 36), each of these striplets (32, 34, 36) can be connected to the other striplet using connection means (42, 44) to form a supporting loop under the urethra, the assembly also comprising a clamp (50;

51), capable of tightening the connection means on the striplets (32, 34, 36).

15. Surgical assembly according to claim 14, characterised in that it also comprises a trocar (100) that comprises a canula (102) capable of housing the needle (10) supporting an anchor element (22, 24, 29).