Needle and procedure for relieving urinary incontinence

• US 6,030,393 A
• Filed: 09/15/1998
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Earvin L. Corlew
• Original Assignee: Earvin L. Corlew
• Inventors: Corlew, Earvin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, THUY D
• Application Number:
  US09/153,435
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 606/222, 606/144, 606/148, 606/139, 606/147, 606/224
• US Class Current: 606/148
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/062 Needle manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00805 Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06028 by means of a cylindrical longitudinal blind bore machined at the suture-receiving end of the needle, e.g. opposite to needle tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06085 having a blunt tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/005 with pressure applied to urethra by an element placed in the vagina

Abstract

An incontinence needle includes a needle, a finger grip, and a suture. The needle has an atraumatic tip on one end and the suture swaged on the other end thereof. The finger grip includes a rocker arm, a slidable base and a pivot pin. The slidable base contains a bore which passes through the length thereof. The rocker arm has a cam surface on the bottom thereof which prevents movement of the finger grip relative to the needle in a first position and allows sliding in a second position. The rocker arm is pivotal mounted to the slidable base. The finger grip is used to drive the needle through body tissue. The incontinence needle is used in the following manner. An incision is made in the abdomen above the public bone. The finger grip is locked at a comfortable position along the length of the needle. A forefinger and thumb of one hand are used to guide the needle through the tissue and the forefinger and thumb of the other hand is used to drive the needle into the incision and body tissue. As the needle travels through the tissue, the finger grip may be unlocked, slid back and then relocked with the driving forefinger and thumb. The guiding forefinger is used to help prevent the needle from piercing the urethra and to ensure that the needle exits above the vagina.

Claims

1. An incontinence needle comprising:

a needle having a blunt tip on one end and a suture swaged on the other end thereof;

a finger grip having a rocker arm which is pivotally connected to a slidable base with a pivot pin, a bottom of said rocker arm having a cam surface, wherein when said rocker arm is in a first position, said cam surface preventing movement of said finger grip relative to said needle, when said rocker arm is in a second position, said cam surface allowing said finger grip to be slidable to said needle.

2. The incontinence needle of claim 1, wherein:

a top surface of said rocker arm having a non-slip surface.

3. The incontinence needle of claim 1, wherein:

said slidable base having a bore through a length thereof, said bore being sized to slidably receive said needle.

4. The incontinence needle of claim 1, wherein:

said slidable base having a cavity disposed in a top thereof to provide clearance for said rocker arm to toggle between a first and second position.

5. The incontinence needle of claim 1, wherein:

a cutout being formed in a bottom of said slidable base.

6. The incontinence needle of claim 1, wherein:

said needle having a cross-sectional shape which is round.

7. The incontinence needle of claim 1, wherein:

said needle having a cross-sectional shape which is oval.

8. The incontinence needle of claim 1, wherein:

said needle being flexible.

9. An incontinence needle comprising:

a needle having a blunt tip on one end and a suture swaged on the other end thereof;

a finger grip having a rocker arm which is pivotally connected to a slidable base with a pivot pin, said slidable base having a bore through a length thereof, said bore being sized to slidably receive said needle, a bottom of said rocker arm having a cam surface, wherein when said rocker arm is in a first position, said cam surface preventing movement of said finger grip relative to said needle, when said rocker arm is in a second position, said cam surface allowing said finger grip to be slidable to said needle.

10. The incontinence needle of claim 9, wherein:

a top surface of said rocker arm having a non-slip surface.

11. The incontinence needle of claim 9, wherein:

said slidable block having a cavity disposed in a top thereof to provide clearance for said rocker arm to toggle between a first and second position.

12. The incontinence needle of claim 9, wherein:

a cutout being formed in a bottom of said slidable base.

13. The incontinence needle of claim 9, wherein:

said needle having a cross-sectional shape which is round.

14. The incontinence needle of claim 9, wherein:

said needle having a cross-sectional shape which is oval.

15. The incontinence needle of claim 9, wherein:

said needle being flexible.

16. A method for performing a procedure which relieves urinary incontinence, comprising the steps of:

making an incision in the abdomen above the pubic bone driving a needle with a blunt tip through the incision and behind the public bone;

guiding said needle around the urethra and above the vagina with a forefinger;

cutting a suture off an end of said needle; and

fastening ends of said suture such that pressure is applied to help close the urethra.

17. The method for performing a procedure which relieves urinary incontinence of claim 16 further comprising:

said needle having a finger grip which may be used to drive said needle in a first position, said finger grip being slidable relative to said needle in a second position.