# US 8,784,296 B2 · Angled surgical introducer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,784,296 B2 - Document ID: US8784296B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/226,840 - Filed: 2011-09-07 - Published: 2012-03-15 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-07 - Assignees: Coloplast A/S - Applicants: John Grimaldi - Inventors: John Grimaldi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784296B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/06109: {Big needles, either gripped by hand or connectable to a handle} - A61B 2017/00805: {Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence} - A61B 2017/06071: {with an abrupt angle formed between two adjacent sections} - A61B 2017/0609: {having sharp tips at both ends, e.g. shuttle needle alternately retained and released by first and second facing jaws of a suturing instrument} - A61F 2/0045: {Support slings} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract The invention describes a surgical introducer comprising a proximal tip portion and a distal tip portion, wherein each tip portion comprises a notch, a base portion comprising an angle, wherein the base portion is between the proximal tip portion and the distal tip portion and wherein the base portion is wider than the remainder of the introducer. The introducer can be used for insertion of arms of a urethral sling into a patient. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surgical introducer for positioning a urethral sling comprising: a proximal tip portion and a distal tip portion, wherein each tip portion comprises a T-shaped slot configured to receive a suture loop; a base portion comprising exactly one angle at approximately the midpoint of the introducer, wherein the base portion is between the proximal tip portion and the distal tip portion, wherein the exactly one angle displaces the proximal tip portion out of a plane parallel with the distal tip portion, wherein the exactly one angle is acute as measured from the horizontal plane parallel with the distal tip portion to the outside of the proximal tip portion, wherein the base portion is wider than the remainder of the introducer, and wherein the width of the introducer is from about ¼ inches to about 1 inch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surgical introducer of claim 1, wherein the base portion is planar. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The surgical introducer of claim 1, wherein the base portion is tubular. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The surgical introducer of claim 1, wherein the tip portions are flat. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surgical introducer of claim 1, wherein the angle is approximately between about 15 and about 30 degrees from a horizontal plane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The surgical introducer of claim 1, wherein the length of the surgical introducer is between about 15 cm to about 25 cm in length. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The surgical introducer of claim 1, wherein each tip portion further comprises an L-shaped slot configured to receive the suture loop. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method to secure a four-armed urethral sling comprising the steps: positioning a first pair of arms of a four-armed urethra sling to suitable sites in left and right transobturators of a patient; and positioning a second pair of arms of the four-armed urethral sling to suitable sites through the abdominal wall of the patient suprapubicly, wherein a portion of the second pair of arms is guided through the abdominal wall of the patient via a surgical introducer as claimed in claim 1. ### Claim 9 A kit comprising instructions and a surgical introducer for positioning a urethral sling comprising: a proximal tip portion and a distal tip portion, wherein each tip portion comprises a T-shaped slot configured to receive a suture loop; a base portion comprising exactly one angle at approximately the midpoint of the introducer, wherein the base portion is between the proximal tip portion and the distal tip portion, wherein the exactly one angle displaces the proximal tip portion out of a plane parallel with the distal tip portion, wherein the exactly one angle is acute as measured from the horizontal plane parallel with the distal tip portion to the outside of the proximal tip portion, wherein the base portion is wider than the remainder of the introducer, and wherein the width of the introducer is from about ¼ inches to about 1 inch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The kit of claim 9, wherein the instructions include a method to secure a four-armed urethral sling comprising the steps: positioning a first pair of arms of the four-armed urethra sling to suitable sites in the left and right transobturators of a patient; and positioning a second pair of arms of the four-armed urethral sling to suitable sites through the abdominal wall of the patient suprapubicly, wherein a portion of the second pair of arms is guided through the abdominal wall of the patient via the surgical introducer. ### Claim 11 A surgical introducer for positioning a urethral sling comprising: a proximal tip portion and a distal tip portion, wherein the distal tip portion and the proximal tip portion each comprise a T-shaped slot configured to receive a suture loop and an L-shaped slot configured to receive the suture loop; and a substantially tubular base portion comprising exactly one angle at approximately the midpoint of the introducer, wherein the base portion is between the proximal tip portion and the distal tip portion, wherein the exactly one angle displaces the proximal tip portion out of a plane parallel with the distal tip portion, wherein the exactly one angle is approximately between about 15 and about 30 degree as measured from the horizontal plane parallel with the distal tip portion to the outside of the proximal tip portion, wherein the base portion is wider than the remainder of the introducer, wherein the length of the surgical introducer is between about 15 cm to about 25 cm, and wherein the width of the introducer is from about ¼ inches to about 1 inch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The surgical introducer of claim 11, wherein the distal tip portion and the proximal tip portion are substantially flat.