Synthetic graft for soft tissue repair
AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorJames Goddard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An implant includes a support member having a first portion and a second portion. The support member is configured to be in contact with a wall of a vagina of a patient. The first portion defines apertures having a first size. The second portion defines at least one aperture having a second size. The second size is larger than the first size. The aperture having the second size is configured to be substantially aligned with a scar or an incision in the wall of the vagina. The second portion is configured to better prevent erosion of the wall of the vagina near the scar or incision than the first portion.
Claims20
An implant, comprising:
- a support member having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being formed of a first mesh material, the second portion being formed of a second mesh material, the second mesh material being less dense than the first mesh material, the support member configured to be in contact with a wall of a vagina of a patient, the first portion defining a plurality of apertures having a first size, the second portion defining a plurality of apertures having a second size, a first aperture having a third size, and a second aperture having a fourth size, the second size being larger than the first size, the third size being larger than the first size and the second size, the fourth size being larger than the first size and the second size, the first aperture and the second aperture collectively forming a “T” shape and being configured to be aligned with an incision within the wall of the vagina, the first aperture being defined by a first perforated outline in the second mesh material and the second aperture being defined by a second perforated outline in the second mesh material.
A method, comprising:
- making an incision in a body of a patient;
- defining a first aperture in an implant by removing a first perforated outline in the implant;
- defining a second aperture in the implant by removing a second perforated outline in the implant;
- inserting the implant to support a tissue of the patient;
- positioning the implant within the body of the patient, the positioning including at least partially aligning the first aperture with a first portion of the incision and at least partially aligning the second aperture with a second portion of the incision;
- and
- closing the incision.
A method of manufacturing an implant, comprising:
- knitting a mesh to include a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the mesh being formed of a first mesh material, the second portion of the mesh being formed of a second mesh material that is different than the first mesh material, the mesh defining a first plurality of apertures and a second plurality of apertures, the second plurality of apertures having a size that is larger than a size of the first plurality of apertures, the first portion including apertures from the first plurality of apertures, the second portion including apertures from the second plurality of apertures, the second portion further including:
- a first perforated outline defining a first aperture having a size that is larger than the size of the first plurality of apertures and that is larger than the size of the second plurality of apertures;
- and
- a second perforated outline defining a second aperture having a size that is larger than the size of the first plurality of apertures and that is larger than the size of the second plurality of apertures,
- the first aperture and the second aperture being substantially arranged in a T-shape and configured to be aligned with a T-type incision.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.