Expansion instrument

An expansion instrument comprising:

• an elongated vaginal-insertion member configured to be inserted into a vaginal lumen positioned adjacent a urethral lumen, with biological tissue located between the vaginal lumen and the urethral lumen;
• an elongated urethral-insertion member configured to be inserted into the urethral lumen;
• the vaginal-insertion member and the urethral-insertion member being adjustably connected to one another to permit adjustment of a spacing between the vaginal-insertion member and the urethral-insertion member;
• and
• the vaginal-insertion member including:
• i) at least one hole communicating with a lumen in the vaginal-insertion member which is connectable to a suction source to hold the biological tissue located between the vaginal lumen and the urethral lumen when the vaginal-insertion member is positioned in the vaginal lumen to positionally restrict the vaginal-insertion member in the vaginal lumen, the at least one hole opening to a surface of the vaginal-insertion member directly facing the urethral-insertion member;
• and/or ii) a biological tissue holder configured to hold the biological tissue located between the vaginal lumen and the urethral lumen when the vaginal-insertion member is positioned in the vaginal lumen to positionally restrict the vaginal-insertion member in the vaginal lumen.

A method comprising:

• inserting an elongated vaginal-insertion member into a vaginal lumen positioned adjacent a urethral lumen, with biological tissue located between the vaginal lumen and the urethral lumen;
• inserting an elongated urethral-insertion member into the urethral lumen, the vaginal-insertion member and the urethral-insertion member being spaced apart from one another by a distance;
• and
• holding a portion of the biological tissue located between the vaginal lumen and the urethral lumen while increasing the distance between the vaginal-insertion member and the urethral-insertion member to increase a width of the biological tissue located between the vaginal lumen and the urethral lumen.