Devices for minimally invasive pelvic surgery

• US 8,172,744 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2010
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Gellman, Barry N., Brenneman, Rodney, Sauvageau, David J., Pintauro, William, Appell, Rodney, Morin, Armand
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John
• Application Number:
  US12/755,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20100240947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 600 29- 31, 606/144, 606/190, 606/139, 606/53, 606/222, 606/223, 606/185, 606/129, 606/196, 606/130, 606/159, 606/184, 606/108, 606/1, 606/46, 606/149, 606205-210, 602/4, 604/272, 604/508, 623/1.44
• US Class Current: 600/29
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/061 hollow or tubular
• 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
• 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. An assembly for treating urinary incontinence, comprising:

a pouch having a substantially flat shape and first and second ends;

a urethral support sling positioned inside of said pouch, wherein a portion of said sling extends beyond the proximal end of said pouch; and

a catheter comprising a continuous cylinder and having a lumen extending therethrough;

wherein the distal end of said pouch is attached to said catheter.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a member configured to extend entirely through said catheter.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said catheter is tapered.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said sling comprises a stiffener.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said portion of said sling extending beyond the proximal end of said pouch is configured to be grasped.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said pouch releasably engages said sling.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said sling is attached to said pouch.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said pouch has a tapered distal end.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said sling is sufficiently long to pass between two suprapubic incisions on opposite sides of a urethra.