Vaginal manipulator

A vaginal manipulator configured to be inserted through a vaginal opening, the vaginal manipulator comprising:

• an elongated portion having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the elongated portion having an actuating mechanism;
• a head portion extending from the distal end portion of the elongated portion, wherein the head portion is configured to contact an inner surface of a vaginal wall, the head portion including a piercing member configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the head portion;
• and
• a suture coupled to the piercing member such that the piercing member is configured to move the suture through the vaginal wall when the piercing member is moved from the retracted position to the extended position, thereby affixing bodily implant coupled to the suture to the outer surface of the vaginal wall.

A method of fixing a bodily implant to an outer surface of a vaginal wall, the method comprising:

• advancing a vaginal manipulator into a vaginal opening, the vaginal manipulator having a piercing member provided on the head portion of the vaginal manipulator and configured to move from within the head portion to a location external to the head portion;
• placing a bodily implant through an abdominal incision over a portion of an outer surface of the vaginal wall;
• moving the piercing member from a retracted position to an extended position with respect to the head portion of the vaginal manipulator such that the piercing member protrudes outward with respect to the head portion and pierces through the vaginal wall when in the extended position;
• suturing the bodily implant on the outer surface of the vaginal wall;
• and
• moving the piercing member from the extended position to the retracted position with respect to the head portion such that the piercing member comes out of the vaginal wall.