Apparatus for use in a surgical procedure

Abstract

A tapered sleeve is provided that includes a lubricating coating on an inner surface. An implant (e.g., a pre-filled silicon breast implant) is introduced into a large end of the sleeve and extruded into a surgical pocket of minimal access incision size through a small-sized end of the apparatus.

1 . An apparatus for use in a surgical procedure, the apparatus comprising:
 a flexible sleeve comprising: a first end region and a second end region, the flexible sleeve being tapered such that a width of the second end region is relatively smaller than a width of the first end region; an enlargeable opening for the second end region; an interior surface that forms an interior cavity, the interior cavity being sized to receive a filled breast implant; and a dry lubricant on the interior surface, the dry lubricant being activatable by moisture, and   wherein the flexible sleeve is manipulatable such that, when the filled breast implant is positioned within the interior cavity, a manually applicable directional pressure causes the filled breast implant to extrude from the opening of the second end region.