Methods and devices for the treatment of urinary incontinence

• US 7,927,342 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Rioux, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas; Steven O
• Application Number:
  US12/410,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20090209994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 606/148, 606/144, 606/150, 606/139, 606/138, 606/190, 606145-147, 606/228, 606/233, 128/340, 604/143
• 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 17/0483 Hand-held instruments for holding sutures A61B17/0469 takes precedence; other holders for needles or sutures A61B17/06061; surgical forceps A61B17/28; surgical pincettes A61B17/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06109 Big needles, either gripped by hand or connectable to a handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00805 Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06085 having a blunt tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2904 curved, but rigid

Abstract

Methods and devices for treating female stress urinary incontinence are disclosed. The methods include transvaginally accessing the pelvic cavity and introducing a suburethral sling into the retropubic space. In some embodiments the ends of the sling are attached to an anatomical support structure. In other embodiments, the ends of the suburethral sling are not attached to an anatomical support structure. The devices include a surgical instrument for blunt dissection of the pelvic cavity which includes a curved shaft and a blunt distal end. A hook deployment device may optionally be attached to the surgical instrument.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument for treating female urinary incontinence, the instrument comprising:

a handle;

a shaft extending in a distal direction from the handle;

a tip including a solid apex disposed at a distal end of the shaft;

a grasping mechanism located within the shaft, said grasping mechanism comprising a window that defines an opening near the distal end of the shaft; and

a moveable element positioned within the window, said moveable element being operatively connected to an actuator.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said window is adapted to be positioned in an open position, an intermediate position, and a closed position.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said actuator is located on said handle.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said tip tapers at one side and comprises a rounded surface at said distal end.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said shaft comprises a curved portion.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein said curved portion comprises an angle of 30 to 60 degrees.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein said shaft comprises a length within the range of from six to eight inches.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said window comprises an L-shaped slot.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein said L-shaped slot comprises a first leg extending radially inward and a second leg extending axially in a distal direction from an inner end of the first leg.