Device and method for surgical repair of abdominal wall hernias

• US 6,966,916 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sarbjeet S. Kumar
• Original Assignee: Sarbjeet S. Kumar
• Inventors: Kumar, Sarbjeet S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US10/256,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20040092969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/144, 606/151, 606/148
• US Class Current: 606/144
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0057 Implements for plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ, e.g. for sealing a vessel puncture or closing a cardiac septal defect sutures A61B17/04; closing rectum or urethra near body surface A61F2/0009
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00637 for sealing trocar wounds through abdominal wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00663 the implement being a suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• 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 hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0063 Implantable repair or support meshes, e.g. hernia meshes

Abstract

The present invention discloses a surgical opening repair device and methods of use thereof. The device comprises an anchor attached to a suture. The device has been specifically manufactured and designed in order to overcome the currently existing obstacles which result when a surgical repair device remains in the abdominal cavity subsequent to the completion of a surgical procedure. The invention additionally discloses a method of surgical hernia by using the device disclosed herein. The present invention additionally discloses a method of repairing a laparoscopic opening which commonly results from a primary surgery. The method of repairing the laparoscopic opening quickly and efficiently closes the opening such that repair is complete even though materials that are foreign to the body remain in the body subsequent to the procedure.

Claims

1. A method of repairing a surgical hernia, comprising:

providing a first anchor having a suture attached to the first anchor, the suture having a distal portion;

providing a second anchor having a suture attached to the second anchor, the suture having a distal portion;

providing a mesh patch having a peripheral area;

rolling the mesh patch;

passing the mesh patch through a surgical port into an abdominal cavity;

unrolling the mesh patch so that the peripheral area of the mesh patch is capable of being penetrated by the first anchor and the second anchor;

inserting the first anchor through an abdominal wall into the abdominal cavity, wherein the distal portion of the suture attached to the first anchor remains external to the abdominal wall, wherein inserting the first anchor defines a first opening of a skin layer and a first opening of the abdominal wall;

passing the first anchor through the peripheral area of the mesh patch;

inserting the second anchor through the first opening of the skin layer and the abdominal wall into the abdominal cavity, wherein the distal portion of the suture attached to the second anchor remains external to the abdominal wall, wherein inserting the second anchor defines a second opening of the abdominal wall;

passing the second anchor through the peripheral area of the mesh patch;

pulling the distal portion of the suture attached to the first anchor and the distal portion of the suture attached to the second anchor so that the mesh patch adjoins the abdominal wall; and

tying the distal portion of the suture attached to the first anchor to the distal portion of the suture attached to the second anchor so that the mesh patch remains adjoined to the abdominal wall.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first anchor and the second anchor have a length greater than about 0.9 cm and a diameter greater than about 0.09 cm.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first anchor and the second anchor are constructed of titanium.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the suture attached to the first anchor and the suture attached to the second anchor are constructed of nylon.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the suture attached to the first anchor and the suture attached to the second anchor are constructed of a non-absorbable and bio-compatible material.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the first anchor and the second anchor are constructed of polyglycolic acid.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the suture attached to the first anchor and the suture attached to the second anchor are constructed of polyglycolic acid.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the suture attached to the first anchor and the suture attached to the second anchor are constructed of an absorbable material.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first anchor, the suture attached to the first anchor, the second anchor, and the suture attached to the second anchor are constructed of a material that is readily absorbed by a body.

10. A method of repairing a surgical hernia, comprising:

providing a first anchor having a suture attached to the first anchor, the suture having a distal portion, wherein the first anchor has a length from about 2.0 cm to about 0.9 cm and a diameter from about 0.3 cm to about 0.09 cm;

providing a second anchor having a suture attached to the second anchor, the suture having a distal portion, wherein the second anchor has a length from about 2.0 cm to about 0.9 cm and a diameter from about 0.3 cm to about 0.09 cm;

providing a mesh patch having a peripheral area;

compressing the mesh patch;

inserting the mesh patch through a port into an abdominal cavity;

decompressing the mesh patch so that the peripheral area of the mesh patch is capable of being penetrated by the first anchor and the second anchor;

inserting the first anchor through a first opening of a skin layer and a first opening of an abdominal wall into the abdominal cavity, wherein the distal portion of the suture attached to the first anchor remains external to the abdominal wall;

piercing the peripheral area of the mesh patch, wherein a first opening is created that is slightly larger than the diameter of the first anchor;

passing the first anchor through the first opening of the peripheral area of the mesh patch;

inserting the second anchor through the first opening of the skin layer and a second opening of the abdominal wall into the abdominal cavity, wherein the distal portion of the suture attached to the second anchor remains external to the abdominal wall;

piercing the peripheral area of the mesh patch, wherein a second opening is created that is slightly larger than the diameter of the second anchor;

passing the second anchor through the second opening of the peripheral area of the mesh patch;

pulling the distal portion of the suture attached to the first anchor and the distal portion of the suture attached to the second anchor so that the mesh patch adjoins the abdominal wall; and

tying the distal portion of the suture attached to the first anchor to the distal portion of the suture attached to the second anchor so that the mesh patch remains adjoined to the abdominal wall.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first anchor and the second anchor are constructed of titanium.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first anchor and the second anchor are constructed of polyglycolic acid.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the suture attached to the first anchor and the suture attached to the second anchor are constructed of polyglycolic acid.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein inserting the first anchor and the second anchor through an abdominal wall into the abdominal cavity and piercing the peripheral area of the mesh patch further comprises transporting the first anchor and the second anchor through a hollow insertion needle.