Claims
- 1. An assembly for treating incontinence comprising:
an elongate needle that is sized and shaped to be initially inserted through an abdominal incision and to then emerge from a vaginal incision, the needle having an insertion end and an end opposite the insertion end, a sling for implantation in the body during an incontinence procedure, and a coupler having an axis, the coupler having a first end and a second end with surfaces for conveniently and securely connecting the coupler to the insertion end of the needle by moving the coupler and insertion end of the needle together.
- 2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the coupler is connected to needle by being moved together in a substantially axial fashion.
- 3. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein after the needle is connected to the coupler, the assembly has a Separation Force of at least about fifteen pounds.
- 4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein after the needle is connected to the coupler, the assembly has a Separation Force of at least about thirty pounds.
- 5. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein, the assembly has an Insertion Force of no more than about fifteen pounds.
- 6. An assembly according to claim 5 wherein, the assembly has an Insertion Force of no more than about ten pounds.
- 7. An assembly according to claim 6 wherein, the assembly has an Insertion Force of no more than about eight pounds.
- 8. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the coupler is sized and shaped to be connected to the needle after the insertion end of the needle emerges from the vaginal incision.
- 9. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the sling includes an insertion sheath and the first end of the coupler is attached to the sheath.
- 10. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the tip of the insertion end of the needle is sub stantially blunt.
- 11. A coupler for use in an incontinence procedure that utilizes a sling and an elongate needle that is sized and shaped to be initially inserted through an abdominal incision and to then emerge from a vaginal incision, the needle having an insertion end, the coupler comprising
an elongate body having an axis, a first end and a second end, and surfaces for conveniently and securely connecting the coupler to the insertion end of the needle by moving the second end of the coupler and the insertion end of the needle together in a substantially axial fashion.
- 12. A coupler according to claim 11 wherein after the needle is connected to the coupler, the connected coupler and needle have a Separation Force of at least about fifteen pounds.
- 13. A coupler according to claim 11 wherein the Insertion Force to connect the needle to the coupler is no more than about fifteen pounds.
- 14. A coupler according to claim 11 wherein the coupler includes an internal passageway for receiving the insertion end of the needle,
the internal passageway having a shoulder portion that is sized and shaped to at least abut a complementary structure in a recessed portion of the needle to resist separation of the needle and coupler.
- 15. A coupler according to claim 11 wherein the second end of the coupler includes surfaces for associating with a second needle.
- 16. A coupler according to claim 11 wherein the first end of the coupler is adapted to be associated with a sling.
- 17. A method of treating incontinence in a female patient comprising the steps of:
providing a synthetic surgical mesh having first and second ends and a plurality of holes that are sized and shaped to afford tissue ingrowth, and a removable synthetic insertion sheath associated with the surgical mesh, providing a needle that is sized and shaped to be initially inserted through a suprapubic incision and to then emerge from a vaginal incision, the needle having an insertion end and an end opposite the insertion end, providing a coupler having an axis, the coupler having a first end and a second end with surfaces for conveniently and securely connecting the coupler to the insertion end of the needle, creating at least one vaginal incision, creating at least one suprapubic incision, passing the leading end of the needle initially through the suprapubic incision and then through the vaginal incision, then connecting the coupler to the needle by moving the coupler and insertion end of the needle together while the insertion end of the needle protrudes from the vaginal incision, implanting the sling by moving the leading end of the needle from the vaginal incision toward the suprapubic incision, and then removing the synthetic insertion sheath.
- 18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the step of connecting the coupler to the needle by moving the coupler and insertion end of the needle includes the step of:
pushing the coupler onto the insertion end of the needle together in a substantially axial fashion with an Insertion Force of less than about fifteen pounds.
- 19. A method according to claim 17 further including the step of connecting the first end of the coupler to a second needle that is attached to the surgical mesh and insertion sheath.
- 20. A method of treating incontinence in a female patient comprising the steps of:
providing a first needle that is sized and shaped to be initially inserted through an abdominal incision and to then emerge from a vaginal incision, the needle having an insertion end and an end opposite the insertion end, providing a coupler having an axis, the coupler having a first end and a second end with surfaces for conveniently and securely connecting the coupler to the insertion end of the needle, providing a second needle that is sized and shaped to be initially inserted through a vaginal incision and to then emerge from an abdominal incision; the second needle being attached to a synthetic surgical mesh having first and second ends and a plurality of holes that are sized and shaped to afford tissue ingrowth, and a removable synthetic insertion sheath associated with the surgical mesh, creating at least one vaginal incision, creating at least one abdominal incision, initially passing the first needle through the abdominal incision and then through the vaginal incision, connecting the second end of the coupler to the insertion end of the first needle, connecting the first end of the coupler to the second needle; and guiding the second needle from the vaginal incision to the abdominal incision with the first needle to implant the sling.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed Nov. 9, 2001 (Attorney Docket No. AMS-029) and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/917,443 filed Jul. 27, 2001 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/917,562 filed Jul. 27, 2001 and claims priority thereto and of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/263,472, filed Jan. 23, 2001; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/269,829, filed Feb. 20, 2001, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/281,350, filed Apr. 4, 2001; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/295,068, filed Jun. 1, 2001, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/306,915, filed Jul. 20, 2001, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Attorney Docket No. AMS-032P, filed Nov. 20, 2001, entitled, “Sling Assembly Articles” (all of whose contents are fully incorporated herein by reference).
Provisional Applications (5)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60263472 |
Jan 2001 |
US |
|
60269829 |
Feb 2001 |
US |
|
60281350 |
Apr 2001 |
US |
|
60295068 |
Jun 2001 |
US |
|
60306915 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09917443 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
Child |
09990108 |
Nov 2001 |
US |
Parent |
09917562 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
Child |
09990108 |
Nov 2001 |
US |