Atraumatic medical device anchoring and delivery system with enhanced anchoring

Abstract

Systems are delineated for treating urinary incontinence (UI). More generally, systems are delineated for providing medical treatment, wherein such systems include means for attaching a structure to a patient and removing the structure without damage to the structure or the patient. An exemplary system for providing medical treatment comprises a structure for attachment to a patient utilizing at least one retractable barb.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing medical treatment to a patient, the system comprising:
 a structure for attachment to the patient, the structure having a first end and a second, opposing end;   a first aperture located near the first end of the structure, the first aperture including a first key for accepting the insertion of a first retractable barb and for establishing a desired alignment of the structure with respect to the first retractable barb; and   a second aperture located near the second end of the structure, the second aperture including a second key for accepting the insertion of a second retractable barb and for establishing a desired alignment of the structure with respect to the second retractable barb.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the structure comprises a mesh material. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the structure comprises one or more regions including a biocompatible elastomeric material. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein one of the one or more regions comprises a region centered along a longitudinal axis of the structure. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein one of the one or more regions comprises a region near the first end of the structure. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein another of the one or more regions comprises a region near the second end of the structure. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4  wherein another of the one or more regions comprises a region near the first end of the structure and yet another of the one or more regions comprises a region near the second end of the structure. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the biocompatible elastomeric material comprises one or more of a silicon-based material, a rubber-like material and a stretchable biomedical-grade polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising one or more sutures coupled to the structure. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 3  further comprising one or more sutures coupled to the structure. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the one or more sutures are integrated within the biocompatible elastomeric material and are woven between apertures formed by the mesh material. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the one or more sutures comprise a pair of sutures, each suture of the pair of sutures being integrated within the biocompatible elastomeric material and woven between the apertures formed by the mesh material to form a triangular pattern. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the structure has an elliptical shape. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein each of the pair of sutures includes portions of the sutures extending from the structure, said portion of one of the pair of sutures exiting the structure near the first end of the structure and said portion of the other of the pair of sutures exiting the structure near the second end of the structure. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12  wherein each triangular pattern includes an apex which points to an end of the structure. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1  further including the first retractable barb and the second retractable barb. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein each retractable barb comprises:
 a pair of movable arms, each movable arm having a first and a second end, the first ends of the pair of movable arms being coupled together; 
 a base member having a first end and a second end, each end of which is coupled in proximity to a second end of a respective one of the pair of movable arms; and 
 wherein the pair of movable arms and the base member form a triangular structure having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface forming an aperture between the pair of movable arms and the base member for tissue growth. 
 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein a portion of the outer surface is formed by outer surfaces of the movable arms wherein portions of the outer surfaces of the moveable arms are adapted for creating an incision in the patient. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the portions of the outer surfaces of the movable arms that are adapted for creating the incision comprise concave-shaped cutouts in each movable arm. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17  wherein each retractable barb may be selectively moved between a first configuration in which the triangular structure is shaped to improve capacity for creating an incision and inserting the retractable barb into the patient and a second configuration in which the triangular structure is shaped to improve holding capacity of the retractable barb within the patient.