Devices for minimally invasive pelvic surgery

• US 7,691,052 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Morin, Armand A., Gellman, Barry N., Brenneman, Rodney, Appell, Rodney, Sauvageau, David, Pintauro, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk; John P
• Application Number:
  US10/939,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20050090706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 600 29- 32, 600/37, 128897-899, 606/119, 606/148, 606151-156, 606222-225
• US Class Current: 600/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• 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 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06109 Big needles, either gripped by hand or connectable to a handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/221 Gripping devices in the form of loops or baskets for gripping calculi or similar types of obstructions surgical snare instruments A61B17/32056
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3415 for introducing tubes or catheters, e.g. gastrostomy tubes, drain catheters A61B17/3417 takes precedence; body piercing catheter guide needles A61M25/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00349 Needle-like instruments having hook or barb-like gripping means, e.g. for grasping suture or tissue A61B17/06066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00805 Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence
• 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: A61B 2017/061 hollow or tubular suture extending inside a hollow needle A61B2017/06052; hollow sutures A61B2017/06185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06104 interconnected at their distal ends, e.g. two hollow needles forming a loop for passing a suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22035 for retrieving or repositioning foreign objects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22038 with a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320044 Blunt dissectors blunt suture needles A61B2017/06085
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/02 Devices for expanding tissue, e.g. skin tissue implements for holding wounds open, surgical tractors A61B17/02; implantable mammary prosthesis A61F2/12; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0045 Support slings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/25 Artificial sphincters and devices for controlling urinary incontinence

Abstract

The invention, in various embodiments, provides systems, devices, and methods for treating urinary incontinence.

Claims

1. A device for treating urinary incontinence, comprising,

an implantable sling, and

a pouch for covering only partially the sling.

2. The device of claim 1, where in the pouch releasably engages the sling, the sling being withdrawable from the pouch.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the pouch is porous.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the sling is sterile.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the pouch includes through apertures exposing portions of the sling along its length.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the pouch is flattened.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the pouch is tapered.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the sling is exposed from the pouch.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the wherein the pouch is formed from a material including at least one of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), vinyl, polyester, and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA).

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the pouch is translucent.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the pouch is substantially clear.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the pouch includes a stiffener.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the pouch includes one or more perforations along disposed along its length.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the sling is shorter in length than the pouch.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the pouch is removable from the sling and from a body of a patent subsequent to placement of the device.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the pouch is configured to slide off the sling.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one end of the pouch is open.

18. The device system of claim 1 further comprising at least one attachment member, wherein the attachment member is disposed at an end of the sling.

19. The device system of claim 18, wherein the attachment member extends from the pouch.

20. The device system of claim 18, wherein the attachment member includes markings for positioning the sling.

21. A device for treating urinary incontinence, comprising,

an implantable sling means, and

a pouch means for covering, only partially, the sling means.

22. A method for treating urinary incontinence, comprising,

introducing a sling covered, only partially, by a pouch into a body of a patient, removing the pouch subsequent to introduction, and

leaving the sling in the body to treat urinary incontinence.