Patent ID: 8048087

Claim:
A method of repairing a ventral hernia, comprising the steps of: first inserting a distal end of a tubular applicator into a fascial cleft between external oblique and internal oblique muscles, the applicator terminating in a distally extending malleable flange that is reconfigurable from a first configuration to a second configuration upon application of a force, wherein the introducing flange remains in the second configuration when the force is removed; subsequent to inserting the tubular applicator, advancing a hollow rod within the tubular applicator into the fascial cleft to move an elastic balloon from within the tubular applicator to a position exterior thereof, the balloon moving over the flange so as to guide the balloon into the fascial cleft; wherein the balloon has a fill tube and the fill tube extends through the hollow rod so that the balloon is adjacent a distal end of the rod; after advancing the hollow rod, removing the tubular applicator and inflating the balloon through the fill tube so that a space is demonstrated between two layers of anatomically defined fascia, a shape of the inflated balloon being determined by the dimensions of the fascial cleft; and repairing the hernia defect.