PROSTHESIS FOR INGUINAL HERNIA

Abstract

The present invention relates to a prosthesis (1) for the repair of an inguinal hernia, which prosthesis (1) is intended to be implanted by a posterior or open laparoscopic route and comprises: an openworked textile (2) made of biocompatible material, comprising a first face (2a) intended to be placed facing the biological tissues of the inguinal region, and a second face (2b) arranged opposite said first face and intended to be placed facing the peritoneum, said first face being provided with fastening means that are able to fix said textile in said biological tissues of the inguinal region, characterized in that at least a part of said second face (2b) is covered with a non-porous coating (7) composed of a material that is hydrosoluble at 37° C. and non-hydrosoluble at 25° C. The invention also relates to a method for producing such a prosthesis.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A prosthesis for the repair of an inguinal hernia comprising, an openworked textile of biocompatible material comprising a first face and a second face opposite said first face, said first face provided with fastening means that are able to fix said textile in biological tissues of an inguinal region, said textile in a length direction determining a zone of different color situated in a medial part of said textile, and said textile determining in a width direction a first upper part and second lower part, the first upper part including an upper region and a lower region, a non-porous coating present on the upper region of the first upper part of the second face, the non-porous coating and the zone of different color overlapping only on an upper medial part of said textile.

19. The prosthesis according to claim 18, wherein said textile comprises an overall shape of a rectangle.

20. The prosthesis according to claim 19, wherein said textile further comprises a seam that at least partially delimits a border between said first upper part and said second lower part, said seam generally following an oblique line that starts from a starting point situated in a lower portion of a side of the width of said rectangle and terminates at an end point situated approximately at two thirds of the length of the rectangle and half way along the width of the rectangle.

21. The prosthesis according to claim 20, wherein said seam forms a fold of the textile, said fold causing said second lower part of said textile to form naturally an angle to a plane of said first upper part of said textile.

22. The prosthesis according to claim 18, wherein said upper region represents approximately two thirds of a surface of said first upper part.

23. The prosthesis according to claim 18, wherein said non-porous coating is in the form of a film comprising a surface density of non-oxidized pepsin-treated collagen ranging from 2.6 to 8 mg/cm.sup.2.

24. The prosthesis according to claim 23, wherein the non-porous coating dissolves within a period of between 15 minutes and 48 hours upon contact with biological fluids at 37° C.

25. The prosthesis according to claim 18, wherein said textile comprises a knit, and the zone of different color is obtained by knitting with a yarn of a different color than a yarn or yarns used for knitting said textile.

26. The prosthesis according to claim 18, wherein said textile is a knit based on at least a first yarn of biocompatible polymer material defining said first and second faces, and at least a second yarn in the form of a biocompatible hot-melt monofilament forming said fastening means by melting of loops generated by said second yarn, said first and second yarns being knit on a warp knitting machine with three guide bars B1, B2, B3, according to standard ISO 11676 and the following pattern chart: Bar B1: 1.0/0.⅟/ Bar B2: 1.0/7.7/6.6/7.7// Bar B3: 2.1/5.5/3.4/0.0// said second yarn following the pattern chart of bar B3.

27. The prosthesis according to claim 26, wherein said first yarn is a monofilament yarn of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and said second yarn is a monofilament yarn of polylactic acid (PLA).

28. The prosthesis according to claim 18, wherein the non-porous coating provides a reduction in the catching points, during passage through the trocar, of at least 50% compared to the same textile without any coating.

29. The prosthesis according to claim 28, wherein the non-porous coating is configured to be hydrated at ambient temperature without compromising the integrity of the non-porous coating.

30. The prosthesis according to claim 18, wherein the non-porous coating is unable to dissolve in an aqueous composition between 20° C. and 25° C.

31. The prosthesis according to claim 18, wherein the non-porous coating is in the form of a film comprising a surface density of non-oxidized pepsin-treated collagen of about 5 mg/cm.sup.2 and a surface density of glycerol of about 3 mg/cm.sup.2.

32. A method for treatment of an inguinal hernia, comprising: providing an openworked textile of biocompatible material comprising a first face, provided with fastening means that are able to fix said textile in biological tissues of the inguinal region, and a second face covered at least in part with a non-porous coating comprising a material that is hydrosoluble at 37° C. and non-hydrosoluble at 25° C., said openworked textile further comprising an overall shape of a rectangle with a length and a width, and said openworked textile determines in the width direction a first upper part and a second lower part, wherein at least an upper region of said first upper part of said second face of said openworked textile includes the non-porous coating, hydrating said openworked textile with an aqueous composition, folding the second lower part of the prosthesis onto a lower region of the first upper part, with the fastening means to the outside to form an assembly, folding the assembly onto the non-porous coating on the upper region of the first upper part of the second face of the openworked textile, introducing the folded prosthesis into a trocar to deliver the prosthesis to an implantation site near the inguinal hernia deploying the prosthesis without entangling the fastening means in the textile, positioning the upper part of the openworked textile facing the anterior muscle wall, the upper part of the os pubis and Cooper’s ligament, positioning the lower part of the openworked textile facing the iliac and spermatic vessels and part of the psoas muscle, and positioning the non-porous coating of the second face against peritoneum.

Description

[0066] The advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description and example and from the attached drawings, in which:

[0067] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inguinal region on the right-hand side of a human body,

[0068] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a prosthesis according to the invention,

[0069] FIG. 3 is a top view of the textile used for producing the prosthesis of FIG. 2,

[0070] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the textile used for producing the prosthesis of FIG. 2,

[0071] FIG. 5 is a top view of the textile used for producing a variant of the prosthesis according to the invention,

[0072] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the prosthesis of FIG. 2 in the plane I-I’,

[0073] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the prosthesis of FIG. 2 once implanted and positioned with respect to the anatomical elements of the extraperitoneal inguinal region, on the right-hand side of a human body, seen from the inside outwards, that is to say towards the outside of the body,

[0074] FIGS. 8A to 8C show the pattern charts followed for knitting a textile suitable for a prosthesis according to the invention,

[0075] FIGS. 9A to 9C show side views of the prosthesis of FIG. 2 during three steps for specific folding of the prosthesis,

[0076] FIG. 10 is a partial top view of a knit suitable for the prosthesis according to the invention and comprising a means for indicating the orientation of the prosthesis.

[0077] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, these show a prosthesis 1 according to the invention for the repair of an inguinal hernia, comprising an openworked textile 2 with two opposite faces, namely a first face 2a and a second face 2b. In FIG. 2, the prosthesis 1 has a three-dimensional shape on account of the presence of a seam 4 forming a fold in the textile 2, such that a lower part 5 of the textile 2 tends naturally to form an angle with an upper part 6 of said textile 2, this angle corresponding to the angle formed anatomically by the intersection of the parietal and vascular planes, as will be seen hereinbelow in the description. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the textile 2 in the flat state before formation of the seam 4, with its second face 2b to the top and its first face 2a to the top, respectively.

[0078] The textile 2 can be any arrangement or assembly of biocompatible yarns, fibres, filaments and/or multifilaments, obtained by knitting, weaving, braiding, or non-woven, said arrangement defining openings, cells or holes within the thickness of the textile and on the faces of the textile, these openings, cells or holes being able to form channels opening out on each side of the textile 2. Such an openworked textile 2 permits better tissue integration.

[0079] The yarns or fibres or filaments and/or multifilaments forming the arrangement of yarns constituting the textile 2 of the prosthesis according to the invention can be made of any biodegradable or non-biodegradable biocompatible material. Thus, the biodegradable materials suitable for the yarns of the textile 2 of the prosthesis 1 according to the present invention can be chosen from polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), oxidized cellulose, polycaprolactone (PCL), polydioxanone (PDO), trimethylene carbonate (TMC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), copolymers of these compounds and mixtures thereof. The non-biodegradable materials suitable for the yarns of the textile 2 of the prosthesis 1 according to the present invention can be chosen from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamides, aramids, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, polyurethane, polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), polybutyl esters, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyolefins (such as polyethylene or polypropylene), polyethers, copper alloys, silver alloys, platinum, medical grades of steel such as medical-grade stainless steel, and combinations thereof.

[0080] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, the first face 2a of the textile 2 is provided with fastening means, represented in these figures in the form of barbs 3 jutting out from said first face 2a. These fastening means are able to fix said textile in said biological tissues of the inguinal region. These fastening means or barbs 3 can protrude from said first face 2a in a manner substantially perpendicular to the plane of said face 2a or, alternatively in an embodiment not shown, in one or more planes inclined with respect to the plane of said face.

[0081] The fastening means, for example the barbs 3, of the textile 2 of the prosthesis according to the invention can be formed from yarns, for example hot-melt monofilament yarns issuing directly from the arrangement of yarns forming the textile. Textiles and barbs of this kind, and the method of producing them, are described, for example, in the applications WO01/81667 and DE 198 32 634 or in the patents US 6,596,002 and US 5,254,133.

[0082] For example, the barbs 3 are formed from monofilament yarns made of polylactic acid.

[0083] Alternatively, the fastening means, for example the barbs, of the textile of the prosthesis according to the invention can be any kind of hook made entirely from biocompatible material and integral with the arrangement of yarns forming said textile, irrespective of whether these hooks have been incorporated in said fabric during the manufacture (braiding, knitting, weaving, etc.) of said arrangement of yarns or have been attached later.

[0084] Preferably, as is shown in FIG. 6, the fastening means are barbs 3 in the shape of a stalk topped by a head; the average size of the heads of the barbs varies in general from 300 .Math.m to 500 .Math.m.

[0085] Textiles with barbs suitable for the present invention are described in WO01/81667, for example, or are also commercially available from the company Sofradim Production under the trade name Parietex® Progrip or Parietene® Progrip.

[0086] In one embodiment, the textile 2 is a knit based on at least a first yarn of biocompatible polymer material defining said first and second faces (2a, 2b) and at least a second biocompatible hot-melt monofilament yarn forming said fastening means by melting of loops generated by said second yarn, the pattern chart followed for knitting said first and second yarns on a warp knitting machine with three guide bars B1, B2, B3 being the following, according to the standard ISO 11676: [0087] Bar B1: 1.0/0.⅟/ [0088] Bar B2: 1.0/7.7/6.6/7.7// [0089] Bar B3: 2.1/5.5/3.4/0.0// said second yarn following the pattern chart of bar B3.

[0090] The above pattern chart is illustrated in FIGS. 8A to 8C for bar B1, bar B2 and bar B3, respectively, in a representation well known to a person skilled in the art. A pattern chart of this kind, followed for knitting the yarns of the knit, generates a particular structure of the textile 2, that is to say a specific arrangement between the different openings in the faces of the textile 2, the respective size of these different openings and the disposition and distribution of the barbs 3 being such that, even if some of the barbs 3 present on the first face 2a come to be trapped within some of the openings present on the second face 2b when the prosthesis is rolled up on itself under the effect of an external stress, for example the stresses exerted by the surgeon when folding the prosthesis in order to introduce it into a trocar, then the stress exerted by the inner walls of the trocar, a large number of the trapped barbs 3 will be freed automatically or under the effect of a very weak unrolling force when said stress is relaxed.

[0091] Moreover, and also preferably, said first yarn is a monofilament yarn of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and said second yarn is a monofilament yarn of polylactic acid (PLA).

[0092] The first yarn(s) of the knit according to the invention are those that follow the pattern charts for bars B1 and B2. They constitute the foundation or base of the knit of the prosthesis 1 according to the invention, since the second yarn, namely a hot-melt monofilament yarn, which generates the barbs 3, is regularly cut in the area of the loops that it forms. The generation of barbs from loops of hot-melt yarn is known and is described, for example, in the document WO01/81667. When the first yarn(s) are monofilament yarns, the possible presence of asperities or of points of fastening of the barbs is limited, and the force needed to unroll the knit after the prosthesis has been rolled up as described above is very low.

[0093] The textile 2 of the prosthesis according to the invention can have a thickness, including the length of the barbs 3, of from 1 to 2 mm, for example approximately 1.4 mm.

[0094] Referring to FIG. 3, in which the textile 2 is shown when flat and before production of the seam 4 which gives the prosthesis 1 its three-dimensional character, the second face 2b of the textile 2 is partially covered with a non-porous coating 7 consisting in a material that is hydrosoluble at 37° C. and non-hydrosoluble at 25° C.

[0095] For example, said non-porous coating consists in a mixture of pepsin-treated collagen and glycerol.

[0096] In one embodiment, said non-porous coating consists in a mixture of pepsin-treated collagen and glycerol and is in the form of a film, the surface density of pepsin-treated collagen ranging from 2 to 8 mg/cm.sup.2, and the surface density of glycerol ranging from 0.1 to 10 mg/cm.sup.2.

[0097] For example, said non-porous coating consists in a mixture of non-oxidized pepsin-treated collagen and glycerol and is in the form of a film, the surface density of non-oxidized pepsin-treated collagen ranging from 2.6 to 8 mg/cm.sup.2, and preferably being about 5.29 mg/cm.sup.2, and the surface density of glycerol ranging from 0.1 to 10 mg/cm.sup.2, and preferably being approximately 2.35 mg/cm.sup.2. Such an embodiment allows the non-porous coating to rapidly dissolve on contact with the biological fluids at 37° C., for example between 15 minutes and 48 hours. Moreover, it has been found that a textile in which at least part of said second face is covered with a non-porous coating of this kind provides a reduction in the catching points, during passage through a trocar, of at least 50 % compared to the same textile without any coating.

[0098] In another embodiment of the prosthesis according to the invention, said non-porous coating comprises oxidized pepsin-treated collagen, optionally glycerol, and optionally polyethylene glycol. Thus, in one embodiment, said non-porous coating comprises oxidized pepsin-treated collagen, optionally glycerol and optionally polyethylene glycol and is in the form of a film, the surface density of oxidized pepsin-treated collagen ranging from 2 to 7 mg/cm.sup.2, and preferably being approximately 3.6 mg/cm.sup.2, the surface density of glycerol ranging from 0 to 3 mg/cm.sup.2, and preferably being approximately 0.72 mg/cm.sup.2, the surface density of polyethylene glycol ranging from 0 to 2.5 mg/cm.sup.2, and preferably being approximately 1.21 mg/cm.sup.2. Such an embodiment allows less rapid dissolution of the non-porous coating on contact with the biological fluids at 37° C., for example from 1 to 4 weeks. Moreover, it has been found that a textile in which at least part of said second face is covered with a non-porous coating of this kind provides a reduction in the catching points, during passage through a trocar, of at least 50% compared to the same textile without any coating. A non-porous coating of this kind also allows adherences to be minimized.

[0099] In other embodiments of the prosthesis according to the invention, the non-porous coating comprises polyvinyl alcohol, optionally glycerol, and optionally polyethylene glycol. Thus, in one embodiment, said non-porous coating comprises polyvinyl alcohol, optionally glycerol and optionally polyethylene glycol and is in the form of a film, the surface density of polyvinyl alcohol ranging from 2 to 7 mg/cm.sup.2, and preferably being approximately 3.6 mg/cm.sup.2, the surface density of glycerol ranging from 0 to 3 mg/cm.sup.2, and preferably being approximately 0.72 mg/cm.sup.2, and the surface density of polyethylene glycol ranging from 0 to 2.5 mg/cm.sup.2, and preferably being approximately 1.21 mg/cm.sup.2.

[0100] Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, the textile 2 when flat has the overall shape of a rectangle with length L and width I (see FIG. 3), the textile 2 determining in the direction of its width I a first part called the upper part 6, intended to be placed facing the anterior muscle wall (16, 18), the upper part of the os pubis 17 and Cooper’s ligament 21, and a second part called the lower part 5, intended to be placed facing the iliac vessels 11 and spermatic vessels 20 and part of the psoas muscle. By way of example, L can be of the order of 15 cm and I can be of the order of 13 cm. Referring to FIG. 3, the upper part 6 of the textile 2 is separated at least partially from the lower part 5 by a line 8 indicating the place where the seam 4 of the prosthesis 1 of FIG. 1 will be made.

[0101] As will be seen from these figures and from FIG. 3, the non-porous coating is in the form of a film 7 which is present on an upper region 6a of the upper part 6 of the textile 2. This upper region 6a represents approximately two thirds of the surface of the upper part 6 of the textile 2. In particular, the non-porous coating 7 is present only on this upper region 6a of the upper part 6 of the textile 2. The advantage of such an embodiment will become clear later in the description.

[0102] In another embodiment of the prosthesis according to the invention, shown in FIG. 5, the prosthesis 101, and therefore the textile 102, has the shape of a rectangle. In the example shown, the non-porous coating 7 is present on the whole of the second face of the textile 102.

[0103] Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the prosthesis 1 is also provided with a means for indicating the orientation of the prosthesis, said indicating means being in the form of a band 9 having a colour different than the colour of the rest of the prosthesis 1, this band of colour 9 being situated in the medial part of the prosthesis 1. The “medial part” of the prosthesis is understood as the part of the prosthesis that will be situated in the direction of the median plane of the human body once the prosthesis has been implanted. When the textile 2 is a knit, as has been described above, the band 9 of different colour is obtained by knitting with a yarn of a different colour than the yarn or yarns used for knitting the rest of the textile 2.

[0104] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the textile 2 comprises a seam 4 that at least partially delimits a border between said upper part 6 and said lower part 5, said seam 4 generally following an oblique line 8 (see FIG. 3) that starts from a starting point 8a situated in the lower portion of a side of width I of said rectangle and terminates at an end point 8b situated at approximately two thirds of the length L of the rectangle and half way along the width I of the rectangle. Moreover, the seam 4 forms a fold of the textile 2, said fold causing said lower part 5 of the textile 2 to form naturally an angle to the plane of the upper part of said textile 2, as is shown in FIG. 2. As will become clear from the description below, this angle preferably corresponds to the angle formed anatomically by the intersection of the parietal and vascular planes in the inguinal region, as has been described for FIG. 1.

[0105] Thus, by virtue of the presence of the seam 4, as will be seen from FIGS. 3 and 7, the upper part 6 is substantially planar, whereas the lower part 5 of the textile 2 of the prosthesis 1 has an undulated and anatomical developed shape for matching the general shape of the lower inguinal structures, especially the spermatic and iliac vessels and the psoas muscle, as will be seen from FIG. 7. The oblique line 8 followed by the seam 4 gives the latter a curved shape, the lower part 5 thus forming with the upper part 6 an angle corresponding to the angle formed by the parietal and vascular planes at the intersection thereof in the inguinal region of a human body. Thus, the upper part 6 and the lower part 5 are asymmetrical, which means that a left-hand prosthesis or right-hand prosthesis will be used depending on which side the hernia to be treated is located. As is shown in FIG. 7, the prosthesis of FIG. 2 is a prosthesis for the repair of an inguinal hernia on the right-hand side of a patient. A prosthesis suitable for the repair of an inguinal hernia on the left-hand side of a patient would have a shape the mirror image of the prosthesis 1 of FIG. 2.

[0106] Preferably, the upper part 6 can have a height of up to approximately 15 cm, and the lower part 5 can have a depth of between approximately 2 cm and approximately 6 cm.

[0107] A prosthesis of this kind ensures that all of the anatomical elements described above are covered, without leaving empty spaces that could possibly cause a recurrence. In particular, the region around the iliac and spermatic vessels is particularly well protected. This therefore avoids one of the main causes of secondary hernias, which can be even more difficult to treat on account of the deterioration of the anatomical structures that has been caused by the earlier hernia.

[0108] The prosthesis according to the invention, in particular the prosthesis 1 of FIGS. 2-4, can be produced as follows: [0109] an openworked textile of biocompatible material is made available, such as the textile 2 in the figures, comprising a first face 2a provided with fastening means, such as barbs 3, that are able to fix said textile in biological tissues of the inguinal region, for example as described above, and a second face: the textile 2 can be a knit obtained in the shape of a rectangle, with the band of different colour already present, obtained by knitting, as described in Example 1 below; [0110] a rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 5 or an anatomical shape as shown in FIG. 3 is cut from this rectangle, delimiting an upper part 6 and a lower part 5 of the textile 2; [0111] if appropriate, the seam 4 is made along the line 8 (FIG. 3) by forming a fold in order to give the prosthesis a three-dimensional shape. The seam 4 is terminated at an end point 8a, as is described below. This three-dimensional shape ensures that the inguinal space is well covered; [0112] at least a part of said second face is covered with a non-porous coating composed of a material that is hydrosoluble at 37° C. and non-hydrosoluble at 25° C.; the preparations of the composition of the non-porous coating and its application to the second face of the textile 2 is described in more detail in Example 1 below.

[0113] The use and the implantation of the prosthesis according to the invention will now be described with reference to the treatment of an inguinal hernia on the right-hand side of a patient by a posterior laparoscopic approach using the prosthesis 1 from FIGS. 2-4.

[0114] The technique used in the laparoscopic intervention, for example, is well known to a person skilled in the art and, consequently, will not be described in detail. In this technique, one or more trocars are introduced into the extraperitoneal space, that is to say posterior to the rectus abdominis muscle and the fascia transversalis, the extraperitoneal working space being created by insufflation and separation of the peritoneum and the abdominal wall.

[0115] The perspective views in FIGS. 1 and 7 show, on the one hand, the anatomical elements of the extraperitoneal inguinal region on the right-hand side of a human body, seen from the inside outwards, that is to say towards the outside of the body as has been described above, and, on the other hand, a view of the positioning of the prosthesis according to the present invention in relation to these elements once it has been implanted.

[0116] It can be clearly seen in FIG. 1 that the inguinal region is particular in that the elements described above are not all in the same spatial plane, but instead are arranged in an oblique arrangement from the top downwards and from the outside inwards. In the case of an inguinal hernia, the prosthesis implanted after reduction of the hernia must ensure satisfactory covering by adapting to the contours of the region and by respecting the obliqueness of the inguinal space.

[0117] To proceed with the intervention, the surgeon takes hold of the prosthesis 1 from FIG. 2 and hydrates this prosthesis 1 with an aqueous composition, for example a 9% NaCl saline solution. During the hydration of the prosthesis 1, before its introduction into the trocar intended to deliver it to the inguinal space, the non-porous coating 7 maintains its integrity: it does not dissolve in the saline composition since the temperature does not exceed 25° C. Thus, the prosthesis 1 can be easily folded, in particular specifically folded to permit optimal passage through the trocar and easy deployment of the prosthesis 1, as is described hereinbelow.

[0118] The folding of the prosthesis 1 from FIG. 2 is described hereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 9A to 9C. FIG. 9A shows a side view of the prosthesis 1 from FIG. 2 in its deployed configuration. The surgeon begins folding the prosthesis 1 by first of all folding the lower part 5 of the prosthesis 1 onto the lower region of the upper part 6 free of non-porous coating, with the fastening means, in other words the barbs 3, to the outside, as is shown in FIG. 9B; this first folding is performed along the seam line 4: these two parts are folded one onto the other, second face 2b on second face 2b, such that the barbs 3 cannot become entangled in the openings of the textile 2.

[0119] Referring to FIG. 9C, the surgeon then folds the assembly made up of “lower part 5 + lower region of the upper part 6” onto the upper region 6a of the upper part 6 of the textile 2, onto the second face 2b covered with the non-porous coating 7. Thus, the barbs 3 of the lower part 5 are brought into contact with the non-porous coating 7, and not with the openings of the textile 2. By virtue of the pliability of the prosthesis 1, in particular of the textile 2, reinforced by the prior hydration of the prosthesis 1 as has been described above, this folding is easy to do, as is also the subsequent step of introducing the roll thereby obtained into a trocar (not shown), for example with an internal diameter of 10 mm.

[0120] As will be clear from the description of this folding, the presence of the non-porous coating 7 on only approximately two thirds of the surface of the upper part 6 of the textile 2 corresponds to an advantageous embodiment of the prosthesis 1 according to the invention. This is because this embodiment not only makes it possible to deliver the prosthesis 1 to the implantation site by trocar, without entanglement of the barbs 3 and with easy deployment of said prosthesis 1 as will be described hereinbelow, but also makes it possible to limit the amount of material constituting a foreign body, such as the material of the non-porous coating 7, that is introduced into the patient’s body and that has to be eliminated by the patient’s metabolism.

[0121] The surgeon then introduces the folded prosthesis 1 into the trocar in order to deliver the prosthesis to the implantation site in the inguinal region. Despite the stress exerted by the walls of the trocar, the barbs 3 do not become entangled in the openings of the textile 2 by virtue of the presence of the non-porous coating 7 which forms a barrier and does not dissolve.

[0122] Once it is at the implantation site, namely in the inguinal region as described with reference to FIG. 1, the prosthesis 1 is easily deployed by the surgeon, and the barbs 3 do not become entangled in the textile 2. Since the biological fluids of the patient’s body are at a temperature close to 37° C., the non-porous coating 7 dissolves and is eliminated naturally by the patient.

[0123] By virtue of the band 9 that has a colour different than the colour of the rest of the prosthesis 1, and that is situated in the medial part of the prosthesis 1, the surgeon easily orients this medial part in the direction of the os pubis 17 (FIG. 7).

[0124] The surgeon fits the prosthesis 1 in place facing the surrounding biological tissues, by positioning the upper part 6 of the textile 2 facing the anterior muscle wall, the upper part of the os pubis 17 and Cooper’s ligament 21, and the lower part 5 of the textile facing the iliac and spermatic vessels 11 and part of the psoas muscle, if appropriate with the aid of the seam 4, for example by placing the latter at the intersection of the parietal and vascular planes, the first face 2a provided with the barbs 3 being placed against the biological tissues of the inguinal region, and the second face 2b, of which the non-porous coating 7 dissolves on contact with the biological fluids at 37° C., being placed against the peritoneum (not shown).

[0125] By virtue of the barbs 3, the prosthesis 1 fixes naturally to the biological tissues of the inguinal region, and an additional step of fixing with staples or sutures is not necessary.

[0126] When the prosthesis 1 is implanted (reference may usefully be made to FIG. 7), the upper part 6 rests on the anterior muscle wall (especially the rectus abdominis muscle 16 and transverse muscle 18), the upper end of the os pubis and part of Cooper’s ligament 21. The lower part 5 conforms almost completely, without leaving any appreciable spaces, to the iliac and spermatic vessels 11 and the psoas muscle 12, and the seam 4 is placed at the intersection of the parietal and vascular planes. The ductus deferens 20 is also covered and therefore protected.

[0127] The prosthesis 1 according to the invention remains in place by itself, particularly on account of its three-dimensional shape, since the seam 4 takes up a position at the intersection of the parietal and vascular planes. This allows the prosthesis 1 to follow the changes in the relative position of the various anatomical elements of the inguinal region, which changes result from the normal movement of the abdominal muscles of the subject, but without its moving away from the implantation region.

Example 1

[0128] A prosthesis according to the invention is produced as follows:

1) Preparation of a Textile in the Form of a Knit in which the means for Indicating the Orientation of the Prosthesis is Incorporated During Knitting

[0129] On a warp knitting machine with three guide bars B1, B2, B3, a knit was produced having the following pattern chart according to the standard ISO 11676: [0130] Bar B1: 1.0/0.⅟/ [0131] Bar B2: 1.0/7.7/6.6/7.7// [0132] Bar B3: 2.1/5.5/3.4/0.0//

[0133] These pattern charts are illustrated in FIGS. 8A to 8C in a representation known to a person skilled in the art: the pattern chart for bar B1 is illustrated in FIG. 8A, the pattern chart for bar B2 is illustrated in FIG. 8B, and the pattern chart for bar B3 is illustrated in FIG. 8C.

[0134] Bar B1 and bar B2 are each threaded 1 full, 1 empty, with a monofilament yarn of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) of diameter 0.09 mm; bar B3 is threaded 1 full, 3 empty, with a thermoplastic monofilament yarn of polylactic acid of diameter 0.15 mm.

[0135] The pattern chart for bar B3 causes the thermoplastic monofilament yarn of polylactic acid to form loops. These loops are then melted, as is described in WO01/81667, in order to form barbs protruding from the first face of the textile, each loop giving rise to two barbs. The barbs that are obtained generally have the shape of a stalk topped by a head, as is shown in FIG. 6: the average size of the heads of the barbs generally varies from 300 .Math.m to 500 .Math.m .

[0136] The knit obtained has a thickness, including the length of the barbs, of approximately 1.4 mm.

[0137] The pattern chart followed for knitting the yarns of the knit of the present example generates a particular structure of the textile, that is to say a specific arrangement between the different openings in the faces of the textile, the respective size of these different openings and the disposition and distribution of the barbs being such that, even if some of the barbs present on the first face are trapped within some of the openings present on the second face when the prosthesis is rolled up on itself under the effect of an external stress, for example the stresses exerted by the surgeon when folding the prosthesis in order to introduce it into a trocar, then the stress exerted by the inner walls of the trocar, a large number of the trapped barbs will be freed automatically or under the effect of a very weak unrolling force when said stress is relaxed. This effect is reinforced by the fact that the yarns used are monofilament yarns.

[0138] In order that the means for indicating the orientation of the prosthesis is incorporated during the above knitting phase, bars B1 and B2 are threaded over a certain distance with PET monofilament yarns of a first colour, for example white, then over a defined second distance with PET monofilament yarns of another colour, for example green, and this is repeated over the entire width of the knitting machine.

[0139] This results, for example, in a succession of white bands and green bands. For example, the white bands 31 have a width lb of 31 cm, and the green bands 32 have a width Iv of 9 cm, as is shown in FIG. 10. It then suffices to cut each white band 31 at its middle and each green band 32 at its middle, as is shown in FIG. 10, in order to obtain knits of rectangular shape with a total length of 20 cm and with a band of different colour in the region of one of the small sides of the rectangle.

[0140] Again with reference to FIG. 10, it is possible, in each rectangular knit thus obtained, to cut out either a rectangular textile 102 comprising a colour band 9 with a view to producing a prosthesis 101 according to the invention as shown in FIG. 5, or a textile 2 comprising a colour band 9, an upper part 6 and a lower part 5 and also an oblique line 8, with a view to producing a prosthesis according to FIG. 2. In the latter case, a seam is formed along the line 8 by forming a fold in order to obtain a three-dimensional textile, as has been explained in the present application with reference to FIG. 2.

2) Preparation of the Composition Intended to Form the Coating of Non-Porous Material

[0141] Particles of non-oxidized pepsin-treated collagen are prepared by grinding pigskins in acid medium in order to obtain a paste, after which the dermis is precipitated in the presence of NaCl solution. The dermis is then degreased in the presence of solvents, then digested in the presence of hydrochloric acid and pepsin. After extraction of the pepsin, the product obtained is treated with sodium hydroxide (precipitation and viral deactivation) and then treated using hydrochloric acid, followed by drying in the presence of solvents.

[0142] The particles of pepsin-treated collagen are then mixed with stirring at 40° C. in a solution of glycerol in water: the pH of the composition obtained is adjusted to 7.0 using a solution of sodium hydroxide (NaOH).

[0143] The composition is then heated at 60° C. with stirring, then filtered. The temperature is then brought back to 40° C., and the pH is adjusted between 4.5 and 7.0 with either a base (NaOH) or an acid (HCI), if necessary.

[0144] The concentration of the composition is adjusted to 5.4% (w/w) for the collagen and to 2.4% (w/w) for the glycerol.

[0145] The composition is maintained at 40° C.

3) Application Of The Composition Obtained Under 2) To A Textile Obtained Under 1), In The Form Of A Film

[0146] The composition obtained under 2) is deposited on the second face 2b of the textile (2; 102): [0147] either over the whole surface of the second face 2b in the case of the textile 102 of the prosthesis 101 of FIG. 5, [0148] or only in the upper region 6a of the upper part 6 of the textile 2 in the case of the prosthesis 1 of FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0149] The composition is applied with a density of 0.092 ml/cm.sup.2. It forms a gel in approximately 45 minutes.

[0150] The assembly “textile + gelled composition” is then dried in air for 12 hours until a film is obtained.

[0151] In the film, the surface density of pepsin-treated collagen is approximaltely 5 mg/cm.sup.2, and the surface density of glycerol is approximately 3 mg/cm.sup.2.

[0152] This film is non-hydrosoluble at a temperature of 20 to 25° C. and is hydrosoluble at a temperature of approximately 37° C. It dissolves in the biological fluids in approximately 15 minutes.

[0153] Prostheses according to the invention are thus obtained, for example a prosthesis 101 according to FIG. 5, or a prosthesis 1 according to FIG. 2, and these prostheses, after hydration at 20-25° C., can be folded, introduced into a trocar and then easily deployed, as described in the present application.