# US 11,076,943 B2 · Tissue repair device and method

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- Number: US 11,076,943 B2
- Document ID: US11076943B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/316,698
- Filed: 2015-06-10
- Published: 2017-07-13
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2014-06-10
- Assignees: Femselect Ltd.
- Applicants: Pop Medical Solutions Ltd.
- Inventors: Boaz Harari; Guy Ohad
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076943B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/0045: {Support slings}
- A61B 8/12: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters
- A61B 17/0401: {Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors (A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811)}
- A61B 17/06109: {Big needles, either gripped by hand or connectable to a handle}
- A61B 17/06166: {Sutures (suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M)}
- A61B 17/3403: {Needle locating or guiding means}
- A61F 2/0063: {Implantable repair or support meshes, e.g. hernia meshes}
- A61F 6/12: Inserters or removers
- A61B 2017/00438: {connectable to a finger}
- A61B 2017/00805: {Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence}
- A61B 2017/0409: {Instruments for applying suture anchors}
- A61B 2017/0464: {for soft tissue}
- A61B 2017/3413: {guided by ultrasound}
- A61F 2002/0072: {Delivery tools therefor}
- 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)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A surgical device is provided. The surgical device includes a housing adapted for mounting on a finger of a user; and at least one guide tube attached along a length of the housing. The guide tube is configured for guiding a tissue repair implant from a proximal opening to a distal opening thereof.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A surgical device comprising:
a rigid elongate cylindrical housing, comprising a longitudinal lumen, having a proximal opening and a distal opening, and external walls, including a top wall, a bottom wall and first and second side walls, adapted for mounting on a finger of a user, said distal opening being formed in said bottom wall;
a tissue repair implant including a tissue anchor and being mounted on a rigid tube; and
at least one rigid guide tube attached along a length of said housing, said at least one guide tube being configured for guiding said tissue repair implant from a proximal opening of said at least one guide tube to a distal opening of said at least one guide tube,
said guide tube being attached to said housing such that said proximal opening of said guide tube is positioned above a back of a hand of said user when said housing is mounted on said finger, and
said housing being configured so as to enable said user to palpate a tissue, through said distal opening of said housing, via said finger, to which said housing is attached,
said at least one guide tube being attached along one of said side walls of said housing such that said at least one guide tube runs along a side of said finger when said housing is mounted on said finger.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein said guide tube is attached to said housing such that said proximal opening of said guide tube protrudes beyond a proximal end of said housing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein said guide tube is attached to said housing such that said distal opening of said guide tube is displaced from the tissue when said finger of said user contacts the tissue.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein said tissue repair implant comprises a suture attached to said tissue anchor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein said housing is configured for enabling flexion of said finger at a distal and/or proximal interphalangeal joint.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, and also comprising an imaging device attached to said housing.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein said imaging device is an ultrasound transducer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein said housing is configured such that an imaging head of said ultrasound transducer is capable of abutting said tissue when said ultrasound transducer is attached to said housing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein said imaging head abuts said tissue when said finger attached to said housing contacts the tissue.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the tissue is a posterior-lateral vaginal wall and said housing is configured for delivery into said vaginal canal via said finger.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The device of claim 10, wherein when said housing is positioned within said vaginal canal with said finger in contact with said posterior-lateral vaginal wall, said proximal opening of said at least one guide tube extends out of said vaginal canal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein said tissue repair implant is a mesh, a sling, a suture or a suture-anchor.

### Claim 13

A method of repairing a pelvic floor disorder comprising:
(a) positioning a surgical device via a finger within a vaginal cavity, said surgical device including a rigid elongate cylindrical housing, comprising a longitudinal lumen, having a proximal opening and a distal opening, and external walls, including a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall and a second side wall, adapted for mounting on said finger, said distal opening being formed in said bottom wall, and at least one rigid guide tube attached along a length of said housing, said at least one rigid guide tube being attached to said housing such that said proximal opening of said at least one rigid guide tube is positioned above a back of a hand of said user when said housing is mounted on said finger, said at least one guide tube being attached along one of said side walls of said housing such that said at least one guide tube runs along a side of said finger when said housing is mounted on said finger;
(b) using said finger, with said surgical device mounted thereon, to palpate a posterior-lateral wall of said vaginal cavity, through said distal opening of said housing, and locate a sacrospinous ligament therethrough; and
(c) advancing a tissue repair implant through said at least one guide tube and through said posterior-lateral wall to thereby anchor said tissue repair implant to said sacrospinous ligament.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said tissue repair implant is a mesh, a sling, a suture or a suture-anchor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said device further includes an ultrasound transducer attached to said housing and further wherein (b) is effected under ultrasound guidance.

### Claim 16

A method of repairing a pelvic floor disorder comprising:
(a) positioning a surgical device via a finger within a vaginal cavity, said surgical device including a rigid elongate cylindrical housing, comprising a longitudinal lumen, having a proximal opening and a distal opening, and external walls, including a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall and a second side wall, adapted for mounting on said finger, said distal opening being formed in said bottom wall, and at least one rigid guide tube attached along a length of said housing, said at least one rigid guide tube being attached to said housing such that said proximal opening of said at least one rigid guide tube is positioned above a back of a hand of said user when said housing is mounted on said finger, said at least one guide tube being attached along one of said side walls of said housing such that said at least one guide tube runs along a side of said finger when said housing is mounted on said finger;
(b) using said finger, with said surgical device mounted thereon, to palpate a posterior-lateral wall of said vaginal cavity, through said distal opening of said housing, and locate a sacrospinous ligament therethrough;
(c) advancing a suture-anchor through said at least one guide tube and through a posterior-lateral wall to thereby anchor said suture-anchor to said sacrospinous ligament;
(d) advancing a mesh over at least one suture thread of said suture-anchor; and
(e) tying said at least one suture thread to secure said mesh in position.