System for securing sutures, grafts and soft tissue to bone and periosteum

Abstract

Self-anchoring slings and deployment mechanisms for use therewith in selectively positioning a sling into position within the body. According to a preferred embodiment, the sling comprises an elongate sling portion having opposed ends. Formed upon each respective opposed end is an anchor member operative to be percutaneously advanced through soft tissue at a selected target site in a first direction but resist movement in an opposed direction. Such anchor members are operative to extend in opposed directions to thus enable a sling to be securely affixed into position and resist sag or otherwise lose its ability to support a given structure.

1 . An implant for providing support to an anatomical structure comprising: 
 a) an elongate segment of material having first and second opposed ends.; and    b) at least one anchor mechanism formed upon a respective one of said ends of said segment of material, said anchor mechanism being operatively configured such that said anchor mechanism is percutaneously advanceable through a soft tissue mass in a first direction and selectively positionable at a target site therewithin and resistant to movement in an opposite direction.    
   
   
       2 . The implant of  claim 1  wherein said implant includes two anchor mechanisms attached to said segment of material, each anchor mechanism being formed on a respective one of said opposed ends of said segment of material and percutaneously advanceable through soft tissue.  
   
   
       3 . The implant of  claim 2  wherein said first and second anchor mechanisms are operatively positioned to be advanced through a mass of soft tissue in generally opposed or generally parallel directions relative one another.  
   
   
       4 . The implant of  claim 1  wherein said segment of material comprises a sling.  
   
   
       5 . The implant of  claim 4  wherein said sling is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of synthetic material, natural material, tissue harvested from a host, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The implant of  claim 3  wherein each respective anchor mechanism is operatively transitional from a first insertion configuration and second anchoring configuration wherein said second anchoring configuration.  
   
   
       7 . A system for securing a sling into affixed position within a target site of soft tissue within the body comprising: 
 a) a sling comprised of an elongate segment of material having first and second opposed ends, each respective opposed end having an anchor mechanism formed thereon such that each respective anchor mechanism is percutaneously advanceable through said soft tissue at said selected target site in a first direction and resistant to movement in a direction dissimilar from said first direction; and    b) a needle for positioning said anchor mechanisms of said implantable sling within said target site of said soft tissue, said needle being detachably fastenable to a respective one of said anchor mechanisms of said implantable sling.    
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said segment of material is selected from the group consisting of synthetic material, metal, natural material, tissue harvested from a host, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       9 . A method for implanting a sling for supporting an anatomical structure comprising the steps: 
 a) providing a sling comprised of an elongate segment of material having first and second opposed ends, each respective opposed end having an anchor mechanism formed thereon such that each respective anchor mechanism is percutaneously advanceable through said soft tissue at said selected target site in a first direction and resistant to movement in an opposite direction;    b) percutaneously advancing a respective one of said anchor mechanisms toward a selected site, such that said anchor mechanism becomes embedded within a first mass of soft tissue;    c) percutaneously advancing said respective other anchor member toward a selected site, such that said respective other anchor member becomes embedded within a second mass of tissue; and    d) wherein said first and second tissue masses are located such that said sling extends about a portion of said anatomical structure and is supported thereby.    
   
   
       10 . A urethral support comprising: 
 a) an elongate segment having first and second opposed ends;    b) a first anchoring mechanism formed upon a respective one of said ends of said support and a second anchoring mechanism formed upon the respective other end of said support; and    c) wherein said backing is operatively positionable within the vagina and said first and second anchoring mechanisms are operative to imbed within a portion of said vaginal epithelium.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said backing and anchor mechanisms formed thereon are operative to be surgically implanted under the vaginal epithelium.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said anchor mechanism is detachably fastenable within said needle.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said anchor mechanism is detachably fastenable upon the exterior distal tip of said needle.  
   
   
       14 . The implant of  claim 6  wherein each respective anchor mechanism comprises a spiral-shaped screw when said anchor mechanism assumes said first insertion configuration.  
   
   
       15 . The implant of  claim 6  wherein each respective anchor mechanism comprises a spiral-shaped screw when said anchor mechanism assumes said first configuration and can be deformed to assume said second insertion configuration to secure the anchor mechanism in position.  
   
   
       16 . The implant of  claim 1  wherein said implant is operative to provide vaginofixation to a prolapsed vagina.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 9  wherein in step d), said anatomical structure comprises a prolapsed vagina.