Thin soft tissue surgical support mesh

• US 6,669,706 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2001
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Adams, Ronald D., Schmitt, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US10/024,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20020052612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 606/151
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0063 Implantable repair or support meshes, e.g. hernia meshes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0068 having a special mesh pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body

Abstract

A soft and pliable surgical support mesh exhibiting increased resistance to inhabitation of infectious matter. The mesh includes a support trellis formed of multifilament yarns wherein the interstitial voids located between the filaments of said yarns are enclosed within an infection-impervious matrix. The meshes may be designed to be extremely thin yet retain the requisite strength for repairing soft tissue, which allows for a low profile when folded for delivery.

Claims

1. A method of repairing a damaged portion of a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:

providing a soft tissue mesh, said mesh comprising a support trellis formed of multifilament yarns having a substantially elliptical cross-sectional shape, said yarns encapsulated within an infection-impervious matrix whereby said mesh is soft and pliable while simultaneously exhibiting a resistance to inhabitation of infectious matter;

accessing said damaged portion of said body; and

implanting said surgical mesh in said body.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of delivering said mesh to said damaged portion of said body within a cannula of a first trocar.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of expelling said mesh from said trocar adjacent to said damaged portion of said body.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of orienting said mesh at the appropriate tissue site.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of inserting a second cannula into the damaged portion of said body.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising insufflating said portion of said body.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein said trellis is sufficiently thin to permit insertion into a trocar having a diameter of about 5 millimeters or less.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein said mesh comprises an elastic memory to effectuate an unfurled state upon delivery to said damaged portion of said body.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said yarns comprise a plurality of bi-component filaments each filament comprising a flexible core and fusible sheath surrounding said core.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising heating said trellis above the fusing temperature of said sheaths.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein said core comprises polyethylene terephthalate polyester and said sheath comprises polyethylene terephthalate/isophthalate copolyester.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising incorporating a medicinal drug into said matrix.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising memory heat setting said mesh to return said mesh to a relatively planar configuration adjacent to said damaged portion of said body.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said matrix comprises a material having a Young'"'"'s modulus lower than the Young'"'"'s modulus of the material forming the filaments of said yarns.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said matrix penetrates into said yarns to substantially fill the interstitial voids located therein.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said matrix comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, poly(meth)acrylate, and copolymers thereof.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein said multifilament yarns overlap one another and said overlapping yarns are adhered to one another.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein said mesh has a thickness less than about 0.20 millimeters.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein said multifilament yarns have no twist imparted thereto.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein said trellis defines pores having a size in the range of about 50 microns to about 400 microns.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein said trellis has a thickness in the range of about 0.05 millimeters to about 0.50 millimeters.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein said trellis has a thickness less than about 0.20 millimeters.

23. The method according to claim 1, further comprising heat conditioning said mesh for a sufficient time at a sufficient temperature to effectuate a shape-memory in an unfurled state.

24. The method according to claim 1, wherein said mesh comprises yarns or filaments made from a shape-memory material.

25. The method according to claim 1, wherein said multifilament yarns are capable of being flattened to thereby provide a reduced thickness and a low profile.

26. The method according to claim 1, wherein said mesh has a burst strength of about 300 psi.