System for Delivering Anchors for Treating Incontinence

• US 20130296639A1
• Filed: 03/28/2013
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teleflex Life Sciences III LLC
• Original Assignee: NeoTract, Inc. (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lamson, Theodore C., Catanese, Joseph III, McLean, Matthew, Niederjohn, James W., Cheng, Floria, Tachibana, Brian Y., Gearhart, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,292,801 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0218 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• 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 2017/00274 Prostate operation, e.g. prostatectomy, turp, bhp treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00805 Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00893 pharmaceutically effective
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0419 H-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06052 Needle-suture combinations in which a suture is extending inside a hollow tubular needle, e.g. over the entire length of the needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0022 placed deep in the body opening occluding blood vessels by internal devices A61B17/12022
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0036 implantable A61F2/0018 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and associated method for manipulating tissues and anatomical or other structures in medical applications for the purpose of treating incontinence. In one aspect, the system includes a delivery device configured to deploy and implant anchor devices for distracting and/or retracting the urethra or tissues proximate thereto, or to maintain a position of a urethra in response to intra-abdominal pressures.

Claims

1. A method for treating incontinence, comprising:

implanting a first anchor;

implanting a second anchor with a connector between the first and second anchors; and

configuring one or more of the first anchor, second anchor or connector within and through tissue defining the urethra to stabilize a position of the urethra to treat incontinence;

configuring one or more of the first anchor, second anchor or connector within and through tissue defining the urethra; and

further comprising implanting a plurality of anchor assemblies to treat incontinence.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting an anchor delivery device within the urethra and actuating the anchor delivery device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising repositioning then fixing a position of a urethra.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising fixing the position of the urethra without repositioning the urethra.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising employing a pair of anchor assemblies to provide lateral forces to the urethra to offset changes in intra-abdominal pressures in the urethra which can cause incontinence.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising implanting the second anchor within a low position in the urethra and implanting the first anchor exterior the urethra and in a higher position with respect to the urethra.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising implanting the second anchor within the urethra and implanting the first anchor exterior the urethra.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the connector through anterior periurethral fascia and implanting both first and second anchors exterior the urethra.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising configuring a portion of the connector through the urethra.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the connector so that it is not within the urethra.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising implanting the first and second anchors and the connector exterior the urethra and attaching a second anchor assembly to the connector.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising configuring the second anchor assembly such that a third anchor is placed within the urethra.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first anchor includes staged barbs which permit adjusting tissue compression.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring a first anchor assembly and a second anchor assembly such that connectors thereof are positioned against a prostate capsule.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein connectors of the first and second anchor assemblies cross.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing a plurality of anchor assemblies spaced along a longitudinal length of the urethra.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first anchor, second anchor and connector form an anchor assembly, further comprising assembling the anchor assembly in situ.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the anchor assembly has a length, further comprising determining the length in situ.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the connector so that upon implantation to treat incontinence it assumes a non-linear trajectory through urethra tissue.