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US 7,131,943 B2Granted
Surgical instrument and method for treating organ prolapse conditions
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorGene W. Kammerer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mesh, a surgical kit including a mesh, and a method for using the same to restore a prolapsed organ within a patient's pelvic cavity are provided. The surgical kit includes a mesh for supporting the organ including a support sheet portion to be positioned beneath the organ, and first and second front attachment strips extending from a proximal region of the mesh and first and second rear attachment strips extending form a distal region of the mesh. The kit also includes a first guide needle for penetrating tissue to create a passageway through which the attachment strips can be pulled, and coupling means for coupling the ends of the mesh to the attachment strips.
Claims17
A surgical kit for performing a surgical procedure on a patient to restore a prolapsed organ within a patient's pelvic region comprising:
- a mesh for supporting the organ, the mesh including a support sheet portion to be positioned substantially beneath the organ having a distal end region and a proximal end region, first and second front attachment strips extending from the proximal end region, and first and second rear attachment strips extending from the distal end region;
- a first guide needle for penetrating tissue within the patient's body to create a passageway through the patient's pelvic region through which the first or second front or rear attachment strips can be pulled, the guide needle having a proximal end and a tissue penetrating blunt tip at a distal end, and defining in part a curved shaft having a first curvature;
- and
- coupling means for coupling a distal end of each of the first and second front and rear attachment strips to the distal end of the guide needle,
- wherein, for each of the first and second front and rear attachment strips, the coupling means is a coupling element fixedly secured at a first end to a distal end of the attachment strips, and having an opening at a second end dimensioned to receive therein and securely engage the distal end of the guide needle.
2 more elements
A surgical kit for performing a surgical procedure on a patient to restore a prolapsed organ within a patient's pelvic region comprising:
- a mesh for supporting the organ, the mesh including a support sheet portion to be positioned substantially beneath the organ having a distal end region and a proximal end region, first and second front attachment strips extending from the proximal end region, and first and second rear attachment strips extending from the distal end region;
- a first guide needle for penetrating tissue within the patient's body to create a passageway through the patient's pelvic region through which the first or second front or rear attachment strips can be pulled, the guide needle having a proximal end and a tissue penetrating blunt tip at a distal end, and defining in part a curved shaft having a first curvature;
- and
- coupling means for coupling a distal end of each of the first and second front and rear attachment strips to the distal end of the guide needle,
- wherein, for each of the first and second front and rear attachment strips, the coupling means comprises a needle element fixedly coupled at a proximal end to a distal end of the attachment strip, and a coupling device for coupling a distal end of the needle element to the distal end of the guide needle.
2 more elements
A surgical kit for performing a surgical procedure on a patient to restore a prolapsed organ within a patient's pelvic region comprising:
- a mesh for supporting the organ, the mesh including a support sheet portion to be positioned substantially beneath the organ having a distal end region and a proximal end region, first and second front attachment strips extending from the proximal end region, and first and second rear attachment strips extending from the distal end region;
- a first guide needle for penetrating tissue within the patient's body to create a passageway through the patient's pelvic region through which the first or second front or rear attachment strips can be pulled, the first guide needle having a proximal end and a tissue penetrating blunt tip at a distal end, and defining in part a curved shaft having a first curvature;
- a second guide needle for penetrating tissue within the patient's body to create a passageway through the patient's pelvic region through which the first or second front or rear attachment strips can be pulled, the second guide needle having a proximal end and a tissue penetrating blunt tip at a distal end and defining in part a curved shaft;
- and
- coupling means for coupling a distal end of each of the first and second front and rear attachment strips to the distal end of the first and second guide needles,
- wherein the curved shaft of the second guide needle has a curvature different than that of the first guide needle, and wherein the passageway created by the first guide needle is different than that of the second guide needle.
3 more elements
A method for restoring a prolapsed organ within a patient's pelvic cavity comprising the steps of:
- providing a mesh for supporting the prolapsed organ, the mesh including a support sheet portion to be positioned substantially beneath the organ having a distal end region and a proximal end region, first and second front attachment strips extending from the proximal end region, and first and second rear attachment strips extending from the distal end region;
- providing at least one guide needle;
- for each of the first and second front attachment strips, using the guide needle to create first and second passageways, one at a time, through the patient's body from an exterior of the body and into the patient's vagina, coupling the guide needle to a distal end of the attachment strip using a coupling means, and retracting the guide needle and attached attachment strip through the body through the passageway;
- for each of the first and second rear attachment strips, using the guide needle to create third and fourth passageways, one at a time, through the patient's body from the exterior of the body and into the patient's vagina, coupling the guide needle to a distal end of the attachment strip using a coupling means, and retracting the guide needle and attached attachment strip through the body through the passageway
- adjusting the mesh using ends of the attachment strips so as to restore the prolapsed organ closer to its proper anatomical position and support it there;
- removing a portion of the attachments strips that are outside of the body;
- and
- leaving the mesh and remaining attachment strips within the body.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.