Treating urinary incontinence
AssigneeSciMed Life Systems, Inc.
InventorBarry N. Gellman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical device for use in a minimally invasive procedure to treat urinary incontinence can include a dilator coupled to a curved needle at one end and a sling at the opposite end. Urinary incontinence can be treated minimally invasively. One treatment includes positioning the sling on an anterior portion of the urethra to provide proper coaptation to the urethra.
Claims56
A surgical device for treating urinary incontinence, comprising:
- a curved needle including a distal end and a proximal end;
- a dilator including a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the distal end of the dilator is coupled to the proximal end of the curved needle;
- a sling including a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the distal end of the sling is coupled to the proximal end of the dilator.
A surgical device for treating urinary incontinence comprising:
- a sling including a distal end and a proximal end;
- a first tether including a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end of the first tether is coupled to the distal end of the sling;
- a second tether including a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the distal end of the second tether is coupled to the proximal end of the sling;
- a curved needle coupled to the distal end of the first tether;
- and
- a dilator disposed along the first tether between the curved needle and the distal end of the sling.
A method of treating urinary incontinence, comprising:
- a) introducing a sling into a body;
- and
- b) positioning the sling on an anterior side of a urethra to coapt the urethra against a vaginal wall.
A method of treating urinary incontinence comprising the steps of:
- a) introducing a surgical device into a body via a vaginal cavity, the surgical device comprising:
- a sling including a distal end and a proximal end;
- a first tether including a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end of the first tether is coupled to a distal end of the sling;
- a second tether including a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the distal end of the second tether is coupled to a proximal end of the sling;
- a curved needle coupled to the distal end of the first tether;
- and
- a dilator disposed along the first tether between the curved needle and the distal end of the sling;
- b) passing the curved needle into the body via the vaginal cavity, through a vaginal wall to one side of a urethra, over an anterior portion of the urethra, and out of the body on the other side of the urethra into the vaginal cavity creating a path for the first tether, the dilator, the sling, and the second tether to follow;
- c) advancing the dilator along the path to position the sling about the urethra and leaving at least a portion of the second tether in the vaginal cavity;
- d) removing the dilator and at least a portion of the first tether from the body into the vaginal cavity and positioning the sling about the anterior portion of the urethra to coapt the urethra against an anterior portion of the vaginal wall;
- and
- e) securing the first tether and second tether to an interior wall of the vaginal cavity.
A surgical device for treating urinary incontinence, comprising:
- a needle comprising a curved portion;
- a dilator coupled to an end of the needle;
- and
- a sling coupled to an end of the dilator.
A surgical device for treating urinary incontinence, comprising:
- an elongated member comprising a curved portion;
- a second member, coupled to an end of the elongated member, for enlarging an opening in a body;
- and
- an implant coupled to an end of the second member.
A surgical device for treating urinary incontinence, comprising:
- means for creating a path through a body of a patient;
- means for enlarging the path created through the body of the patient, the means for enlarging the path coupled to the means for creating the path;
- and
- a sling coupled to the means for enlarging the path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.