Surgical instrument for treating female urinary incontinence

• US 20050148813A1
• Filed: 02/02/2005
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jan Claren, Ulf Ulmsten
• Original Assignee: Jan Claren, Ulf Ulmsten
• Inventors: Ulmsten, Ulf, Claren, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 7,347,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/29
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/04 for suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials suture materials A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06066 Needles, e.g. needle tip configurations making needles B21G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06109 Big needles, either gripped by hand or connectable to a handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00805 Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06009 having additional means for releasably clamping the suture to the needle, e.g. actuating rod slideable within the needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06019 by means of a suture-receiving lateral eyelet machined in the needle lateral opening for attaching suture to suture anchor A61B2017/0414
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06033 using adhesives glue applicators A61B17/00491; for connecting prosthetic parts A61F2002/30448
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06038 soldered or brazed or welded for connecting prosthetic parts A61F2002/30451, A61F2220/0058
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06057 Double-armed sutures, i.e. sutures having a needle attached to each end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06085 having a blunt tip blunt dissectors A61B2017/320044
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0045 Support slings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0077 Special surfaces of prostheses, e.g. for improving ingrowth A61F2/30767 takes precedence

Abstract

A surgical assembly and method for treating female urinary incontinence. The assembly includes a substantially flat, flexible tape having first and second ends, wherein at least a portion of the tape is adapted to be permanently implanted into a female patient'"'"'s body as a loop beneath the urethra. The assembly further includes a flexible sheath having a first portion covering a first length of the tape and a second portion covering a second length of the tape. The first and second portions substantially cover the entire length of the implant portion of the tape prior to implantation of the tape and sheath combination into the patient'"'"'s body. Following implantation into the patient'"'"'s body, the first and second portions of the sheath are removable from the first and second ends of the tape respectively.

Claims

1. A surgical assembly for treating female urinary incontinence, comprising:

a substantially flat, flexible tape having first and second ends, wherein at least a portion of the tape is adapted to be permanently implanted into a female patient'"'"'s body as a loop beneath an urethra;

a flexible sheath having a first portion covering a first length of the tape and a second portion covering a second length of the tape, the first and second portions substantially covering an entire length of the implant portion of the tape prior to implantation of the tape and sheath combination into the patient'"'"'s body,

wherein, following implantation into the patient'"'"'s body, the first and second portions of the sheath are removable from first and second ends of the tape respectively.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first and second portions of the sheath are coupled to one another prior to implantation.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the sheath has first and second portions, and wherein the first and second portions are joined at a perforation line positioned substantially at a longitudinal center of the sheath.

4. A method for treating female urinary incontinence, comprising:

providing a surgical assembly including a substantially flat, flexible tape having first and second ends wherein least a portion of the tape is adapted to be permanently implanted into a female patient'"'"'s body as a loop beneath an urethra, and a flexible sheath having a first portion covering a first length of the tape and a second portion covering a second length of the tape, wherein the first and second portions substantially cover at least the implant portion of the tape prior to implantation;

implanting the tape and sheath as a loop beneath the urethra;

separating the first and second portions of the sheath;

removing the first portion of the sheath from the patient via the first end of the tape;

removing the second portion of the sheath from the patient via the second end of the tape; and

leaving the tape implanted within the patient.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first and second sheath portions are joined to one another prior to implantation, and the separating step further comprises severing the first and second sheath portions from one another.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the severing step further comprises severing the first sheath portion from the second sheath portion along a perforation line in the sheath.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the perforation line is substantially at a longitudinal center of the sheath.

8. A surgical assembly for treating female urinary incontinence, comprising:

a substantially flat, flexible tape having first and second ends and an implant portion therebetween adapted to be implanted into a female patient'"'"'s body as a loop beneath an urethra; and

a flexible sheath having a first portion covering a first length of the tape and a second portion covering a second length of the tape, the first and second portions substantially covering the entire length of the implant portion of the tape prior to implantation of the tape and sheath combination into the patient'"'"'s body,

wherein the tape and sheath are not fixedly secured to one another along the implant portion of the tape.

9. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein the tape and sheath are fixedly secured to one another at a location other than along the implant portion of the tape.

10. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein the first and second sheath portions are affixed to one another prior to implantation, but are removable from the first and second ends of the tape respectively following implantation when severed from one another substantially at a longitudinal center thereof.