Tool for the laparoscopic introduction of a mesh prosthesis

A tool for the laparoscopic repair of inquinal or femoral herniae in a retroperitoneal space comprising in combination:

• a) a flexible mesh prosthesis;
• and
• b) a housing having a proximate end and a distal end and an axis of elongation and a first opening located at said proximal end of said housing and a second opening located at said distal end of said housing, said housing having an axially extending cavity communicating with said first opening and said second opening to form a passageway therethrough, a carriage member having a proximate end and a distal end slidably carried by said housing and extending into said passageway, a holding member having an outer and inner surface carried by said carriage member and extending axially and distally from said distal end of said carriage member where said holding member has an axially extending cavity therein bounded by said inner surface and defining a holding chamber adjacent the distal end of said carriage member for holding said mesh prosthesis in a radially overlapped wound position where said holding member has an axially extending slot contained in said outer surface and communicating with said holding chamber to permit the lateral feeding of said mesh prosthesis through said slot as said mesh prosthesis radially unwinds from said holding chamber into said retroperitoneal space, and mounting means associated with said housing and said carriage member for slidably and rotatably mounting said carriage member to said housing to permit axial movement and rotation of said carriage member relative to said housing such that said holding chamber may be retracted in whole or in part into said passageway or fully extended distally of said distal end of said housing and into said retroperitoneal space.