Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9144483B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 19:20:19+00:00

Document:
As shown in FIG. 1A, a fixation device 306 is engaged to the distal portion 106 of the delivery instrument 100 by placing the fixation device head 328 in an extendable carrier (shown in FIG. 1C). The carrier 124 comprises a side slot. When coupling the fixation device 306 to the carrier 124, the shaft 300 of the fixation device 306 is sized to pass through the side slot and the fixation device head 328 is positioned on top of an opening at a distal end of the carrier. The diameter of the fixation device head 328 is larger than the diameter of a lumen of the carrier. As such, the fixation device head 328 is positioned over the distal opening of the carrier while a portion of the shaft 300 of the fixation device resides within the lumen of the carrier. As such, when the fixation head deployment mechanism 110 is depressed, the carrier 124 drives the fixation device head 328 through a tissue until the fixation device head 328 is secured in a catch. Once secured in a catch, the carrier retracts to its original position and thus disengages from the fixation device head 328. Once the fixation device head 328 is secured in the catch, the delivery instrument 100 may be withdrawn a distance to pull the fixation device 306 a desired distance through the tissue. Finally, the fixation device head 328 is disengaged from the carrier once the fixation device has been successfully placed in a tissue. An embodiment of these components will be shown in detail in FIGS. 1B and 1C.
Each fixation device 306 a, 306 b, 306 c and 306 d is placed individually at the discretion of the user by drawing the fixation device 306 a, 306 b, 306 c and 306 d through ligament of tissue until the desired length of “leg” is achieved. As such, a head of the first fixation device 306 a is engaged to the delivery instrument 100, driven through a tissue, secured in a catch, positioned in the tissue by withdrawing the delivery instrument 100, and disengaged from the catch. Next, the head of the second fixation device 306 b is engaged to the delivery instrument 100 and the steps are repeated. The above-identified procedure is followed for all additional fixation devices 306 c, 306 d, etc.
a catch disposed on the elongate body member, the catch defining at least one opening for receiving, through the lock button, the carrier holding the fixation device, retaining the head of the fixation device within the catch, and allowing the carrier to retract, such that the fixation device is released from the side slot of the carrier when the carrier is retracted from the catch.
2. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the sling material comprises a mesh material.
3. The instrument of claim 2, wherein the mesh material comprises a plurality of tangs.
4. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the sling material comprises a graft.
5. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the flexible shaft comprises a plurality of barbs.
6. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the of the fixation device includes a pointed tip.
7. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the head of the fixation device is sized to be received by the carrier of the deployment mechanism.
8. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the flexible shaft extends into at least a portion of the sling material forming a support segment to provide strength to the sling material.
9. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the slot of the distal portion of the elongate body member is sized to allow a portion of the flexible shaft of the fixation device to extend through the slot of the distal portion from the carrier to an area external to the distal portion of the elongate body member.
10. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion define a proximal end of the fixation device, the proximal end of the fixation device being movable between a first width and a second width less than the first width, the proximal end of the fixation device being biased to the first width.
11. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the slot of the distal portion of the elongate body is disposed distally of the side slot of the carrier when the carrier is in its retracted position.
"Capio® CL Transvaginal Suture Capturing Device," Designed for Transvaginal Suture Fixation to Cooper's Ligament for Sling Procedures, Boston Scientific, www.bostonscientific.com, one page, 2001.
"Capio® CL Transvaginal Suture Capturing Device," The Capio CL Transvaginal Suture Capturing Device allows for a transvaginal suture fixation to Cooper's Ligament for Sling Procedures, Boston Scientific, www.bostonscientific.com, two pages, printed on Apr. 7, 2006.
"Capio® Open Access and Standard Suture Capturing Devices," Reach, Throw and Capture: One Step. One Device, Boston Scientific, www.bostonscientific.com, two pages, printed on Apr. 7, 2006.
"Capio® RP Suture Device," Boston Scientific, www.bostonscientific.co.uk, one page, printed on Apr. 7, 2006.
"Capio® RP Suture Device," The Capio RP Suturing Device is designed to assist with anastomosis after a radical prostatectomy, Boston Scientific, www.bostonscientific.co.uk, one page, undated.
"Capio® Suture Capturing Devices," Reach, Throw and Capture: One Step. One Device, Boston Scientific, www.bostonscientific.com, one page, 2005.
Amendment and Response to Final Office Action with RCE for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, filed May 18, 2010, 14 pages.
European Office Action for EP Application No. 07716311.1, mailed Dec. 8, 2009, 3 pages.
Extended EP Search Report for EP Application No. 10189230.5, mailed Mar. 31, 2011, 11 pages.
Extended European Search Report for European Patent Application No. 13164488.2, mailed on Jul. 31, 2014, 6 pages.
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, mailed Feb. 25, 2014, 29 pages.
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, mailed Nov. 5, 2012, 32 pages.
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, mailed on Dec. 23, 2014, 18 pages.
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 12/983,666, mailed Apr. 24, 2012, 10 pages.
Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 12/983,666, mailed on May 30, 2014, 13 pages.
Final Office Action Response for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, filed Feb. 5, 2013, 17 pages.
Final Office Action Response for U.S. Appl. No. 12/983,666, filed Jun. 25, 2012, 8 pages.
Hardiman, et al, "Sacrospinous Vault Suspension and Abdonimal Colposacropexy: Success Rates and Complications", Section of Urogynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sep. 18, 1995, 5 pages.
International Search Report and Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority in International Application No. PCT/US2007/000190, which claims priority to U.S. Appl. No. 11/331,777 (15 pages).
International Search Report for Application No. PCT/FR2004/000766, mailed on Nov. 8, 2004, 9 pages.
International Search Report for International Application No. PCT/FR2004/000765, mailed on Dec. 28, 2004, 10 pages.
International Search Report for PCT Application No. PCT/US1998/03066, mailed on May 28, 1998, 2 pages.
International Search Report for PCT Application No. PCT/US2001/031234, mailed on Dec. 14, 2001, 1 page.
International Search Report for PCT Application No. PCT/US2001/30033, mailed on May 10, 2002, 1 page.
International Search report for PCT Application No. PCT/US2004/035329, mailed on Jul. 7, 2005, 7 pages.
International Search Report for PCT Application No. PCT/US2006/028963, mailed on Dec. 6, 2006, 3 pages.
International Search Report for PCT Application No. PCT/US2007/000190, mailed on Jul. 3, 2007, 5 pages.
Non-Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, mailed Apr. 26, 2012, 17 pages.
Non-Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, mailed Aug. 13, 2013, 26 pages.
Non-Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, mailed on Jun. 17, 2014, 31 pages.
Non-Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 12/983,666, mailed Jul. 30, 2013, 10 pages.
Non-Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 12/983,666, mailed Oct. 6, 2011, 47 pages.
Non-Final Office Action Response for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, filed Aug. 27, 2012, 13 pages.
Non-Final Office Action Response for U.S. Appl. No. 12/983,666, filed Feb. 3, 2012, 9 pages.
Non-Final Office Action Response for U.S. Appl. No. 12/983,666, filed Oct. 30, 2013, 8 pages.
Notice of Allowance for U.S. Appl. No. 11/493,148, mailed on Sep. 30, 2010, 6 pages.
Notice of Allowance for U.S. Appl. No. 11/535,901, mailed Sep. 21, 2010, 26 pages.
Notification Concerning Transmittal of International Preliminary Report on Patentability (Chapter 1 of the Patent Cooperation Treaty) mailed Jul. 24, 2008 issued in corresponding international application No. PCT/US2007/000190.
Office Action for CA Application No. 2,636,215, mailed on Apr. 17, 2013, 3 pages.
Office Action for CA Application No. 2,636,215, mailed on Jan. 13, 2014, 2 pages.
Office Action for Canadian Patent Application No. 2,636,215, mailed on Nov. 13, 2014, 4 pages.
Office Action for EP Application No. 07758616.2, mailed Jun. 6, 2011, 5 pages.
Office Action for EP Application No. 07758616.2, mailed on Jun. 6, 2011, 5 pages.
Office Action for EP Application No. 10189230.5, mailed on Mar. 31, 2014, 5 pages.
Office Action for JP Application No. 2008-550341, mailed Jan. 27, 2012, 3 pages.
Office Action for JP Application No. 2008-550341, mailed Jul. 12, 2012, 2 pages.
Office Action for JP Application No. 2012226178 (with Translation), mailed on Jun. 11, 2014, 5 pages.
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/493,148, mailed on Dec. 17, 2009, 13 pages.
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/493,148, mailed on Jun. 5, 2009, 14 pages.
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/493,148, mailed on Mar. 25, 2010, 14 pages.
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/493,148, mailed on Sep. 24, 2008, 14 pages.
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/535,901, mailed on Jan. 29, 2009, 22 pages.
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/535,901, mailed on Jun. 9, 2009, 22 pages.
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, mailed on Jan. 19, 2010, 15 pages.
Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, mailed on Jul. 8, 2009, 17 pages.
Office Action received for U.S. Appl. No. 11/535,901, mailed on Jan. 29, 2009, 22 pages.
Office Action received for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, mailed on Jul. 8, 2009, 17 pages.
Office Action Response for CA Application No. 2,636,215, filed on Oct. 16, 2013, 4 pages.
Office Action Response for JP Application No. 2008-550341, filed Apr. 26, 2012, 10 pages.
Office Action Response for U.S. Appl. No. 12/983,666, filed Jul. 24, 2012, 2 pages.
Partial European Search Report for EP Application No. 10189230.5, mailed Dec. 10, 2010, 6 pages.
Pohl, et al, "Bilateral Transvaginal Sacrospinous Colpopexy: Preliminary Experience", 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons, Feb. 24-26, 1997, 7 pages.
Response to Communication pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC for EP Patent Application 06815573.8, filed on Aug. 13, 2014, 15 pages.
Response to Communication pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC for EP Patent Application 10189230.5, filed on Jul. 24, 2014, 7 pages.
Response to Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, filed May 23, 2014, 12 pages.
Response to Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, filed Sep. 17, 2014, 13 pages.
Response to Non-Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 12/983,666, filed Nov. 25, 2014, 9 pages.
Response to Office Action for Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-226178, filed on Sep. 11, 2014, 14 pages.
Response to Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/493,148, filed Feb. 19, 2009, 12 pages.
Response to Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/493,148, filed Mar. 17, 2010, 13 pages.
Response to Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/493,148, filed Sep. 1, 2009, 12 pages.
Response to Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/535,901, filed Oct. 9, 2009, 12 pages.
Response to Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/535,901, filed Oct. 9, 2009. 12 pages.
Response to Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, filed May 18, 2010, 13 pages.
Response to Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/686,683, filed Oct. 6, 2009, 11 pages.
Response to Restriction Requirement for U.S. Appl. No. 11/535,901, filed May 14, 2009, 2 pages.
Restriction Requirement for U.S. Appl. No. 11/535,901, mailed on Apr. 14, 2009, 9 pages.
Search Report for EP Patent Application No. EP 01117717, mailed on Apr. 18, 2007, 5 pages.
Search Report for European Patent Application No. EP 05356101, mailed on Nov. 1, 2005, 2 pages.
Search Report for European Patent Application No. EP 90307704, mailed on Apr. 18, 2007, 1 page.
Search report for French Patent Application No. FR 0303893, mailed on Jan. 21, 2004, 2 pages.
Search report for French Patent Application No. FR 0303895, mailed on Jan. 21, 2004, 3 pages.
Search report for French Patent Application No. FR0406352, mailed on May 25, 2007, 3 pages.
Shah, et al, "Short-Term Outcome Analysis of Total Pelvic Reconstruction With Mesh: The Vaginal Approach", The Journal of Urology, vol. 171, Jan. 2004, pp. 261-263.

References: Application No. 07716311
 Application No. 10189230
 Application No. 13164488
 Application No. 2
 Application No. 2
 Application No. 2
 Application No. 07758616
 Application No. 07758616
 Application No. 10189230
 Application No. 2008
 Application No. 2008
 Application No. 2012226178
 Application No. 2
 Application No. 2008
 Application No. 10189230
 Application No. 2012