TETHERED IMPLANT AND RELATED METHOD OF USE
An implant configured for insertion and placement within a fallopian tube of a female during a sterilization procedure. The implant includes an implant body having proximal and distal ends and a tether. The tether is attached to the implant body and extends a distance away from the implant body. The tether may be bioabsorbable and/or detachably coupled to the implant body so that the tether can be separated from the implant body without dislodging the implant body from the fallopian tube.
1 . An implant for use in a female sterilization procedure comprising:
an implant body configured for insertion and placement within a fallopian tube, the implant body defining a proximal end and a distal end; and
a tether attached to the implant body and extending away from the implant body.
2 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the tether extends at least about 5 mm from the implant body.
3 . The implant of claim 2 , wherein the tether extends between about 5 mm and about 10 mm from the implant body.
4 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the tether is bioabsorbable.
5 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the tether is attached to the proximal end of the implant body.
6 . The implant of claim 1 , where the tether is detachably coupled to the implant body and is adapted to detach from the implant body when a predetermined threshold force is applied to the tether.
7 . The implant of claim 6 , wherein the implant further includes a frangible interface between the implant body and the tether, and the tether is adapted to detach from the implant body at the frangible interface when a predetermined threshold force is applied to the tether.
8 . The implant of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined threshold force is between about 0.5 lbf and about 1.5 lbf.
9 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the tether defines a first segment, a second segment longer than the first segment, a terminal end, and a frangible interface between the first and second segments, the first segment extending from the implant body to the frangible interface and the second segment extending from the frangible interface to the terminal end, wherein the second segment is adapted to detach from the first segment at the frangible interface when a predetermined threshold force is applied to the second segment.
10 . The implant of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined threshold force is between about 0.5 lbf and about 1.5 lbf.
11 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the tether is a monofilament or multifilament suture.
12 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the implant body comprises silicone.
13 . The implant of claim 12 , wherein the implant body is a substantially porous plug.
14 . The implant of claim 13 , wherein the implant body is substantially cylindrical shaped.
15 . The implant of claim 14 , wherein the implant body defines a longitudinal axis and the length of the implant body along the longitudinal axis is between about 2 mm and about 10 mm.