Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A surgical instrument for introducing a support strand into the body to treat female urinary incontinence has an elongated, curved shaft with a distal end insertable into the body. The shaft has a lumen therein extending at least a portion of the length of the shaft through which the support strand may pass in an axial direction. The shaft has a slot on an exterior surface thereof communicating with the lumen allowing the support strand to be laterally passed between the lumen to a position outside the shaft. A pointed element, is removably positionable on the distal end of the shaft for facilitating the insertion of the shaft through the body and is connectable at one end to the support strand. The pointed element may either be swaged directly to the strand or be in the form of an elongated needle with an eye to which the strand is removably attached. In an associated method, the shaft sequentially delivers the pointed element through the body twice, forming a loop around the urethra to relieve incontinence. The slot in the shaft permits the instrument to be disassociated from the strand without disturbing the loop.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim