METHOD FOR SUPPORTING PELVIC ANATOMY

• US 20110237866A1
• Filed: 06/14/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coloplast A/S
• Original Assignee: Coloplast A/S
• Inventors: Browning, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,118,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/30
• 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 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0412 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from suture anchor body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening lateral eyelet for attaching suture to needle A61B2017/06019
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0427 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from the anchor body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0435 the barbs being separate elements mechanically linked to the anchor, e.g. by pivots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0045 Support slings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0063 Implantable repair or support meshes, e.g. hernia meshes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0007 for adjusting length

Abstract

A method for providing support to an anatomical structure of the pelvis includes making a vaginal incision for securing a support portion under a urethra of a patient, passing a narrowed portion of an introducer through an introducer aperture of a first soft tissue anchor, seating the first soft tissue anchor on the introducer, and inserting a second soft tissue anchor through the vaginal incision and pressing the second soft tissue anchor into tissue on a second side of the urethra such that a support portion is suspended from the first and second soft tissue anchors under the urethra without the first and second soft tissue anchors penetrating an abdominal wall of the patient.

Claims

1. A method for providing support to an anatomical structure of the pelvis, the method comprising:

making a vaginal incision for securing a support portion under a urethra of a patient, a first soft tissue anchor being connected to a first end of the support portion and a second soft tissue anchor being connected to a second end of the support portion, the first soft tissue anchor having a proximal end and a distal end and including a base, a plurality of barbs, and a tip, and further having an introducer aperture extending through the base and the tip of the first soft tissue anchor;

passing a narrowed portion of an introducer through the introducer aperture of the first soft tissue anchor, the introducer having an elongate shaft and a handle, the elongate shaft having a proximal end at the handle and a distal end, the elongate shaft defining the narrowed portion toward the distal end of the elongate shaft, the elongate shaft forming an abutment where the elongate shaft widens from the narrowed portion;

seating the first soft tissue anchor on the introducer such that the distal end of the elongate shaft protrudes from the distal end of the first soft tissue anchor and the first soft tissue anchor rests on the abutment thereby stopping the first soft tissue anchor from moving further down the elongate shaft of the introducer;

inserting the first soft tissue anchor through the vaginal incision and pressing the first soft tissue anchor into tissue on a first side of the urethra using the introducer; and

inserting the second soft tissue anchor through the vaginal incision and pressing the second soft tissue anchor into tissue on a second side of the urethra such that the support portion is suspended from the first and second soft tissue anchors under the urethra without the first and second soft tissue anchors penetrating an abdominal wall of the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting the first soft tissue anchor into the tissue on the first side of the urethra along a curved path.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the handle has a first face and a second face opposite the first face, the method further comprising grasping the handle of the introducer and inserting the first soft tissue anchor into the tissue on the first side of the urethra along a curved path that is perpendicular to the first and second faces of the handle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the handle has a first face and a second face opposite the first face with an edge between the first and second faces, and the elongate shaft has a curvature in a direction perpendicular to the first and second faces of the handle, the method further comprising inserting the first soft tissue anchor into the tissue with the support portion positioned along an outer part of the curvature of the introducer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising passing the first soft tissue anchor to one side of the urethra and behind a pubic bone of the patient.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the support portion is suspended below a mid-urethra of the patient.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising suspending the support portion in a perineal space of the patient.