Patent ID: 8579797

Claim:
A method of implanting a urethral sling to support the urethra comprising: providing a urethral sling comprising: a flexible sheet material extending between opposed first and second sling ends and bounded by opposed first and second sling sides; and a plurality of pre-positioned, plicating line having a plicating line length extending between first and second plicating line free ends and passed through the flexible sheet material at first and second points displaced from the respective first and second sling free ends such that an intermediate portion of each plicating line extends across a central portion of the urethral sling intermediate first and second end portions of the urethral sling, the plicating lines being in substantially side-by-side relation between the first and second sling sides; surgically affixing the first and second sling ends to extend across the urethra; drawing one or more of the plicating line free ends together to induce tension in the first and second end portions and apply tension across the central portion of the urethral sling; and tying the plicating line free ends; wherein: the providing step comprises affixing the free ends of each plicating line through the sheet material at temporary retention points to hold the free ends against the flexible sheet material; and the drawing step comprises releasing the free ends of each plicating line from the sheet material at the temporary retention points.