Systems, instruments, methods, and compositions are described involving removing a portion of the epidermis within a donor site on a subject, and harvesting dermal plugs within the donor site. An injectable filler is formed by mincing the dermal plugs. The injectable filler is configured for injecting into a recipient site on the subject.

This invention generally relates to devices and methods that allow an operator to deliver a suture and an implant coupled to the suture into the body of a patient without the need for direct-vision of the operator. In one aspect, a medical device includes a receiving arm that releasably holds an implant or suture in place for capture and a clamping arm that includes a needle deployment mechanism for advancing a needle directly to the implant for capture and for retracting the needle with the implant attached to deliver the implant into the desired location. The receiving arm includes a cavity with inner walls that are angled to direct the needle through the opening after the advancing needle pierces and goes through tissue of the patient. The angled walls facilitate movement of the needle into a position within the cavity where the implant gets engaged with the needle.

A suture-less pelvic implant system and method is provided for treating pelvic conditions, such as incontinence or vaginal prolapse. The implant can include a fixation portion, which may be rectangular or suture line, having a plurality of fixation elements, e.g., barbs, extending therefrom to fixate within target pelvic tissue, such as the vaginal apex. In a sacralcolpopexy, an opposing end or anchor of the implant is fixated within the sacrum or like structure to stabilize, raise, support or reposition the vaginal apex.

The present invention relates to the diagnosis and treatment of stress urinary incontinence. In one embodiment, the diagnosis and treatment involves the use of a positional feedback catheter. Positional sensors may be embedded in the catheter to provide real-time tracking the position and movement of the catheter.

Applicator for injecting a bulking agent at one or more selected submucosal positions in a periurethral tissue of a female patients' urethra. The applicator comprises a lance, such as a cystoscope with a distal end provided with one or more optical sensors, and a needle guide with a bore receiving the lance. The needle guide comprises needle channels at different angular positions, each needle channel extending between a needle entrance surface and an opposite shoulder surface. The needle channels are oriented to direct a needle via external peripheral tissue of the urethral meatus to a submucosal position at a urethra section, e.g., within the optical scope of the optical sensor.

In an embodiment, the present invention discloses a medical assembly, including a sub-urethral implant, a strap, a dilator, and a suture. The implant includes a first end portion and a second end portion such that the strap is configured to be attached to the first end portion of the implant. The strap is attached to the implant through a weld. The strap is further configured to be coupled to the dilator. The suture can be coupled to the dilator.

In one embodiment, a medical device includes a tissue suction housing and a moveable member disposed in the tissue suction housing. The tissue suction housing has a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end has an opening and the tissue suction housing has at least two suturing device openings. The tissue suction housing is configured to pull up bodily tissue through the opening in the distal end when placed under a vacuum and to receive a suturing device through one of the suturing device openings.

Apparatus and methods are provided for treating urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and other pelvic defects or dysfunctions, in both males and females, using one or more lateral implants to reinforce the supportive tissue of the urethra. The implants can be configured as a sling device having at least one extension arm and a tissue support portion having an eyelet, wherein a portion of the at least one extension arm is adapted to slide through and adjustably attach with the eyelet.

An incontinence treatment system includes a urethral support extending between a first end and a second end, a first connector attached to the first end of the urethral support and a second connector attached to the second end of the urethral support, and an energy source. At least one of the first connector and the second connector is a cross-linked polymer connector having a glass transition temperature between 40-70 degrees Celsius. In this regard, the cross-linked polymer connector is stretched to provide a stretched cross-linked polymer connector having a product length. The energy source is adapted to provide energy from an extracorporeal location through intact skin to shorten the stretched cross-linked polymer connector to an implant length that is less than the product length.

The present invention relates to the treatment of persons with urinary incontinence. More particularly, the invention extends to a set of introducers (also commonly referred to as tunnelers) shaped to accommodate the Altis® suburethral sling (Coloplast Corporation), which is commonly used in surgical treatment of female stress urinary incontinence.