Sling for supporting tissue
First Claim
1. A sling specifically configured for supporting a urethra in a patient with a hammock style arrangement, the sling comprising:
- a sterile, medically implantable sling body having a first end portion with a first length and a first width and a second end portion with a second length and a second width;
the sling body having a support portion configured to support a urethra with the support portion disposed below the urethra to support the urethra in a hammock like orientation, with the support portion including a support length and a support width, the support portion being disposed intermediate the first and second end portions;
a first transition segment connecting said first end portion to said support portion, and a second transition segment connecting said second end portion to said support portion, wherein the length of each of the first and second end portions is greater than the length of the support portion and the width of each of the first, second, and support portions is greater than a width of at least a portion of each of the first and second transition segments, and the first and second transition segments are configured to allow the support portion to be substantially flat to support the urethra while at least one of the first and second transition segments or the first and second end portions are compressed;
wherein the end portions, the support portion, and the first and second transition segments are configured for passage through a needle path in soft tissue of the patient.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sling for supporting a urethra in a patient has characteristics for resisting pull-out, roll-over and a combination of both pull-out and roll-over. To facilitate resistance to pull-out, sling material has protuberances or serrations to resist movement once placed in the patient by the surgeon. Improved resistance to roll-over or roll-up is achieved by providing relief on the sling in areas potentially subjected to roll-over forces by endopelvic fascia. The sling may be used on female or male patients, and may be used in conjunction with a wider support portion to support a bladder and a urethra, rather than a urethra alone. The sling may also be used to support other tissues within a patient.
-
Citations
70 Claims
-
1. A sling specifically configured for supporting a urethra in a patient with a hammock style arrangement, the sling comprising:
-
a sterile, medically implantable sling body having a first end portion with a first length and a first width and a second end portion with a second length and a second width; the sling body having a support portion configured to support a urethra with the support portion disposed below the urethra to support the urethra in a hammock like orientation, with the support portion including a support length and a support width, the support portion being disposed intermediate the first and second end portions; a first transition segment connecting said first end portion to said support portion, and a second transition segment connecting said second end portion to said support portion, wherein the length of each of the first and second end portions is greater than the length of the support portion and the width of each of the first, second, and support portions is greater than a width of at least a portion of each of the first and second transition segments, and the first and second transition segments are configured to allow the support portion to be substantially flat to support the urethra while at least one of the first and second transition segments or the first and second end portions are compressed; wherein the end portions, the support portion, and the first and second transition segments are configured for passage through a needle path in soft tissue of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A sling for supporting a urethra of a patient, the sling comprising:
-
a sterile, medically-implantable sling body having a support portion configured for supporting a urethra in a hammock style orientation with a support length and a support width; the sling body having a first portion and a second portion with respective first and second lengths and first and second widths, each of the first and second portions connected to the support portion, wherein the first portion and second portion have serrations; and wherein the first and second lengths are greater than the support length; wherein the first portion and the second portion are each connected to the support portion by a respective transition segment configured to allow the support portion to be substantially flat to support the urethra while at least one of the transition segments or the first and second portions are compressed, wherein the transition segments include a transition width less than the support and first and second widths, wherein at least one of the transition segments defines a relief; and wherein said first and second portions, support portion and first and second transition segments are configured for passage through a needle path in soft tissue of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
-
-
43. A sling for supporting tissue within a body, the sling comprising:
-
a sterile, medically-implantable sling body having a support portion configured to support a urethra with a support length, the support portion configured to support the urethra in a hammock style orientation; and a first portion and a second portion with respective first and second lengths, each of the first and second portions being connected to the support portion by a transition segment, wherein at least one of the transition segments provides an arcuate relief, wherein the support length is less than each of the first and second lengths, and wherein the transition segments are each configured to allow the support portion to lie substantially flat while one of the transition segments or the first or second portions are compressed; and wherein said first and second portions, support portion and first and second transition segments are configured for passage through a needle path in soft tissue of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
-
52. A sling for specifically configured supporting a urethra, the sling comprising:
-
a sterile, medically-implantable sling body having a first end portion and a second end portion; a sling body having a support portion intermediate the first and second end portions for supporting the urethra, the support portion specifically configured to support the urethra in a hammock style orientation; a sling body having a first transition segment connecting said first end portion to said support portion, and a second transition segment connecting said second end portion to said support portion, wherein at least one of said transition segments provides a relief, wherein the sling comprises a plurality of layers of extracellular matrix material and wherein the length of the support portion has more layers of the extracellular matrix material than the length of the first and second end portions when the sling is disposed in an elongate flat position; and wherein the first and second end portions, support portion, and first and second transition segments are configured for passage through a needle path in soft tissue of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
-
-
59. A sling specifically configured for supporting a urethra alone or in combination with a bladder of a patient, comprising:
-
a sterile, medically implantable collagenous body having a first extension, a second extension, and a support portion intermediate the first and second extensions, the support portion specifically configured for supporting a urethra in a hammock style arrangement; wherein at least a portion of an edge of each of the first and second extensions are serrated; the body further comprising respective transition regions disposed between the support portion and the respective first and second extension, the transition regions each having a width less than a width of each of the support and first and second extensions, the transition regions configured to allow the support portion to lie substantially flat while at least one of the transition regions or the first and second extensions are compressed; wherein the first and second extensions, support portion, and transition regions are configured for passage through a needle path in soft tissue of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
-
Specification