Patent ID: 8663256

Claim:
A method of laparoscopically repairing a hernia defect in a patient's abdominal wall, the method comprising: inserting into the patient's abdomen a surgical mesh comprising a sheet of mesh material having an extent greater than the size of the hernia defect and a fixation fin with a proximal edge attached to a surface of the sheet and extending along the sheet for a distance less than the extent thereof and a distal edge raised above the sheet surface a sufficient distance to permit attachment of the fixation fin to opposing edges of a hernia defect when the sheet is in place inside the patient's abdomen; manipulating the surgical mesh into position with the sheet in place at the peritoneal surface of the patient's abdominal wall and the fixation fin disposed in the hernia defect; reapproximating opposing edges of the hernia defect by suturing them together with the fixation fin therebetween, wherein the distal edge of the fixation fin is spaced below the external surface of the patient's abdominal wall after suturing the fixation fin between the reapproximated edges of the hernia defect and the sheet extends beyond the proximal edge of the fixation fin in all directions a sufficient distance to allow the sheet to be anchored to the peritoneal surface of the patient's abdominal wall at any desired location on the sheet; thereafter laparoscopically positioning the sheet surface to lie proximate to the peritoneal surface of the patient's abdominal wall; and anchoring the sheet to the peritoneal surface of the abdominal wall at selected locations around the surgical mesh.