Patent ID: 9179961
Filing Date: 2015-11-10
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
1. An implant delivery system for delivering a sheet-like implant, the implant delivery system comprising: a delivery shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; an implant expander, mounted to the distal end of the delivery shaft, including a central portion, a plurality of leg portions radiating from the central portion, and a sharpened distal tip extending distally from a distal surface of the central portion of the implanted expander, the implant expander being evertable between an unstressed configuration in which a distal surface of the implant expander defines a concave surface and a first compact configuration in which the distal surface of the implant expander defines a convex surface, the plurality of leg portions being curved in the unstressed configuration and independently flexible, the implant expander having a first lateral extent when the implant expander is free to assume the unstressed configuration, the plurality of leg portions each including a distal portion configured to engage with a sheet-like implant when in the unstressed configuration; a sheath defining a lumen having a lumen diameter, at least a portion of the delivery shaft slidably disposed in the lumen, the lumen diameter being smaller than the first lateral extent of the implant expander so that the sheath holds the implant expander in the first compact configuration when slidably disposed therein; and a sheet-like implant overlaying at least a portion of the distal surface of the implant expander with portions of the sheet-like implant extending between the leg portions of the implant expander and the sheath; wherein the sharpened distal tip penetrates through the sheet-like implant; wherein the delivery shaft distal end is fixed to the central portion of the implant expander to urge relative movement between the implant expander and the sheath such that the implant expander and the sheet-like implant can be advanced through a distal opening defined by the sheath so the implant expander is free to assume a deployed configuration.