Needle instruments and implantable sling assembly; kits comprising these components; and methods for use
AssigneeGeneric Medical Devices, Inc.
InventorRichard P. Kuntz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sling assembly for implantation in a patient to support an internal physiological structure is provided. The sling assembly includes a length of porous material having a generally longitudinal flat surface and tubular sleeves associated with each end of the porous material, each of the sleeves having an inner passage sized and configured to provide frictional sliding over outer surfaces of an insertion instrument. The sleeves may have multiple slots for passage of insertion instruments, and the sling assembly may be mounted on insertion instruments having various configurations. In general, the sleeve is mounted on a curved needle portion of an insertion instrument by passage of the needle portion through a slot in the sleeve.
Claims20
A sling assembly for implantation in a patient to support an internal physiological structure comprising:
- a length of porous material having a generally longitudinal flat surface with two edges and two ends;
- and a generally tubular sleeve associated with each end of the porous material, each of the sleeves having an inner passage sized and configured to provide frictional sliding over outer surfaces of an insertion instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.