Ethicon, Gmbh

Steve Bell

Bryan Dale Knodel

Michael R Tracey

Bryan Knodel

A suburethral implant for treating stress urinary incontinence (SUI) includes an elongated plate-like member which is slightly curved in transverse cross-section, and a pair of spaced apart arms having hooked ends or barbs which extend from the plate-like member. A device for deploying the suburethral implant for treating SUI includes a vaginal probe for insertion in the vaginal canal of a patient, and a urethra locator probe for the simultaneous insertion in the urethra of a patient. The urethra probe is spaced apart from and overlies the vaginal probe. The vaginal probe includes a wall in which is formed an exit port. A suburethral implant introducer assembly is extendable and retractable through the exit port on the vaginal probe. The introducer assembly has a distal end on which is removably mounted a suburethral implant. The introducer assembly is extendable through the exit port to pierce the vaginal canal wall of the patient in order to position the suburethral implant in proximity to the patient's urethra. The hooked ends or barbs on the arms of the suburethral implant engage the tissue surrounding the patient's urethra and are affixed thereto during deployment of the implant. The introducer assembly is then retracted into the vaginal probe, whereby the implant is released from the introducer assembly and remains affixed to tissue in proximity to the patient's urethra.

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Rome, Italy

Steve Bell