# US 10,945,823 B2 · Guide for selecting and positioning a prosthesis > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,945,823 B2 - Document ID: US10945823B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/128,547 - Filed: 2018-09-12 - Published: 2019-01-10 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2012-03-22 - Assignees: Sofradim Production - Applicants: Sofradim Production - Inventors: Sebastien Francois; Sebastien Ladet - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945823B2 ## CPC - A61F 2/0063: {Implantable repair or support meshes, e.g. hernia meshes} - G01B 5/00: Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of mechanical techniques - A61F 2002/0072: {Delivery tools therefor} - A61F 2240/005: Templates - A61F 2250/0087: colour-coded - A61F 2250/0091: transparent or translucent - A61F 2250/0097: Visible markings, e.g. indicia - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS ## Abstract The invention relates to a device (1) and method for selecting the size and shape of a prosthesis and/or for determining the location of marks to be made on the external face of the skin of a patient intended to receive such a prosthesis, for example for repairing a hernia, comprising a sheet (2) of transparent material, the said sheet comprising: —a plurality of graphical representations (3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d) concentrically embodying the respective outlines of various shapes and sizes of prosthesis, —a plurality of first holes (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e) arranged along the transverse line passing through the centre of the said sheet, and —a plurality of second holes (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e, 8f, 8g, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f, 9g) arranged along the longitudinal line passing through the centre (C) of the said sheet. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for selecting a size and shape of a prosthesis for hernia repair, comprising the following steps: i) providing a device including sheet having a plurality of graphical representations concentrically embodying outlines of various shapes and sizes of prostheses, a plurality of first holes arranged along a transverse line passing through a center of the sheet, and a plurality of second holes arranged along a longitudinal line passing through the center of the sheet, ii) applying the device to an external face of a region of skin of a patient, under which a hernia defect is located, with the center of the sheet of the device substantially aligned on a site of the hernia defect, iii) pivoting the sheet so as to select the graphical representation corresponding to a size and shape of a prosthesis constituting the best coverage of the hernia defect. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first holes all have a first shape that is the same, the second holes all have a second shape that is the same, the first shape being different from the second shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the first holes have a shape of a disc and the second holes have a shape of a double disc. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first holes have an edging of a first color, the second holes have an edging of a second color, the first color being different from the second color. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the graphical representations are produced in a color that is different from the first and second colors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second holes correspond to preferred locations for stitches of suture for the prostheses having outlines corresponding to those embodied by the graphical representations. ### Claim 7 A method for determining the location of marks to be made on an external face of a skin of a patient intended to receive a prosthesis for treating a hernia defect, comprising the following steps: i) providing a device including sheet having a plurality of graphical representations concentrically embodying outlines of various shapes and sizes of prostheses, a plurality of first holes arranged along a transverse line passing through a center of the sheet, and a plurality of second holes arranged along a longitudinal line passing through the center of the sheet, ii) applying the device to an external face of a region of skin of the patient, under which the hernia defect is located, with the center of the sheet of material of the device substantially aligned on the site of the hernia defect, iii) pivoting the sheet of material so as to select the graphical representation corresponding to a size and shape of a prosthesis constituting the best coverage of the hernia defect, iv) marking the skin with marks in a transverse direction of the sheet and in a longitudinal direction of the sheet using the first and second holes of the device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, further comprising conveying a prosthesis to an implantation site and positioning the prosthesis to cover the hernia defect. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising introducing suturing instrument(s) into the skin of the patient from outside at the mark(s) applied in iv) in order to complete transparietal suture(s) for attaching the prosthesis to an abdominal wall. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the prosthesis is provided with suture threads which are pre-stitched at preferred points on the prosthesis which align with the markings to make future transparietal sutures. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein a transparietal suture is performed by catching two free ends of one pre-stitched suture thread, pulling the two ends outside the patient, tying a knot with the two ends and releasing the knot formed into the abdominal wall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the first holes all have a first shape that is the same, the second holes all have a second shape that is the same, the first shape being different from the second shape. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the first holes have a shape of a disc and the second holes have a shape of a double disc. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the first holes have an edging of a first color, the second holes have an edging of a second color, the first color being different from the second color. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the graphical representations are produced in a color that is different from the first and second colors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the first and second holes correspond to preferred locations for stitches of suture for the prostheses having outlines corresponding to those embodied by the graphical representations.