Bladder neck suspension procedure

A method of suspending a bladder neck in a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) securing a first suture to a first bone anchor, said first suture having a first end and a second end;
• (b) positioning said first anchor in a pubic bone;
• (c) grasping said first suture with a probe, said probe being able to pierce tissue;
• (d) advancing said probe and the first end of said first suture behind the pubic bone and through an endopelvic fascia generally adjacent to a urethra at a first point;
• (e) releasing said first suture within a vaginal cavity;
• (f) withdrawing said probe through the endopelvic fascia;
• (g) advancing said probe through the endopelvic fascia at a second point, said second point also being generally adjacent to the urethra;
• (h) grasping said first suture within the vaginal cavity with said probe;
• (i) withdrawing said probe and said first end of said first suture through the endopelvic fascia;
• (j) releasing said first suture from said probe;
• and
• (k) tying the first and second ends of said first suture to suspend the bladder neck.

A method of suspending a bladder neck from a bone while minimizing invasion of tissue generally adjacent to the bone, comprising the steps of:

• locating an anchoring site on the bone without exposing the bone in an open surgical procedure;
• advancing an anchor into the bone through the tissue generally adjacent to the bone;
• securing the anchor within the bone;
• and thereafter
• suspending the bladder neck using the anchor.

A method of suspending a bladder neck, comprising the steps of:

• (a) securing a first suture to a first bone anchor;
• (b) locating an anchoring site on a bone without exposing the bone;
• (c) positioning said first anchor in the bone;
• (d) advancing said first suture through a tissue generally adjacent to the bladder neck;
• (e) providing a first suture support;
• (f) securing said first suture to said first suture support;
• (g) positioning said first suture support against the tissue generally adjacent to the bladder neck to increase the effective contact area between said first suture and the tissue;
• and
• (h) suspending the bladder neck with said first suture.

A method of suspending a bladder neck from a bone while minimizing invasion of tissue generally adjacent to the bone, comprising the steps of:

• locating an anchoring site on the bone without exposing the bone;
• advancing an anchor into the bone through the tissue generally adjacent to the bone;
• securing the anchor within the bone;
• and thereafter
• suspending the bladder neck using the anchor.

A method of suspending a bladder neck comprising the steps of:

• securing a suture to a bone anchor;
• positioning said anchor in a bone without exposing the bone by way of an open surgical procedure;
• positioning a suture support secured to said suture against the tissue generally adjacent to the bladder neck to increase the effective contact area between said suture and the tissue;
• and
• suspending the bladder neck with said suture.

A method of suspending a bladder neck comprising the steps of:

• securing a suture to a bone anchor;
• positioning said anchor in a bone without exposing the bone;
• positioning a suture support secured to said suture against the tissue generally adjacent to the bladder neck to increase the effective contact area between said suture and the tissue;
• and
• suspending the bladder neck with said suture.