Adjustable Sling Anchors Reduce Incisions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mid-urethral sling stabilization procedures for stress urinary incontinence often require additional incisions, including abdominal and groin incisions, which is inconvenient and may increase surgical complexity.
Innovation Solution
The development of improved sling assemblies with adjustable length and tension, soft tissue anchors that dissolve post-implantation, and delivery devices that allow for precise placement of slings under the bladder neck or mid-urethra without the need for extensive incisions, using dilators that dissolve after anchoring the sling ends in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional mid-urethral sling stabilization procedures are used, then the sling can be placed under the bladder neck or mid-urethra to provide support, but additional incisions (abdominal or groin) are required which increases surgical complexity and patient inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the anchoring function from complex multi-incision procedures and concentrates it into a single vaginal incision site. The sling assembly with integrated anchors is delivered through the vaginal wall, eliminating the need for separate abdominal or groin incisions while maintaining effective stabilization of the mid-urethra or bladder neck
Solution Approach 2:
The sling assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides urethral support, anchors to the vaginal wall, and delivers the supportive element all through a single incision approach. This multi-functional design consolidates what would traditionally require separate surgical steps and incisions into one unified procedure
2Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable length and tension slings are used, then the sling can be customized for different patients and conditions, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sling assembly incorporates adjustable mechanisms that allow the length and tension to be modified during the surgical procedure. The anchors and sling elements can be repositioned and re-tensioned to accommodate different patient anatomies and clinical requirements, providing dynamic adaptability rather than a fixed design
Solution Approach 2:
The sling assembly is divided into modular components including adjustable anchors, sling elements, and connection mechanisms. This segmentation allows each component to be independently adjusted and configured, making the overall system versatile while managing complexity through modular design
3Ease of operation
If dissolvable dilators are used to deliver sling ends, then the delivery process is simplified and tissue trauma is reduced, but the dilator must be designed to dissolve after performing its anchoring function
Solution Approach 1:
The dilator is designed as a temporary, dissolvable element that performs its delivery and anchoring function during the surgical procedure, then naturally dissolves in the tissue. This disposable approach eliminates the need for permanent foreign bodies while maintaining ease of operation during the critical delivery phase
Solution Approach 2:
The dissolvable dilator is intentionally designed to be discarded (dissolved) after completing its function. The material is selected to break down safely in the body, transferring the anchoring function to permanent tissue or the sling assembly while the dilator itself is absorbed and eliminated, avoiding long-term foreign body issues
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides, in various embodiments, aspects of soft tissue anchors, adjustable length/tension slings, interconnects between slings and soft tissue anchors, delivery devices and systems for implanting supportive slings, and methods relating to anchoring, 5 adjusting and implanting supportive slings.