Implants, tools, and methods for treatments of pelvic conditions
Described are implants, intermediate articles of manufacture (web constructions) useful for preparing implants, methods of forming the implants and intermediate articles, and related methods for treating pelvic conditions by use of the implants. The present invention relates generally to surgical implants (i.e., “implants”), intermediate articles of manufacture (web constructions) useful for preparing surgical implants, methods of forming the implants and intermediate articles, and related methods for treating pelvic conditions by use of the implants.
1. A longitudinal web comprising a length of upper implant material, a length of lower implant material, the longitudinal web comprising
a first vaginal leaf segment along which a segment of the length of upper implant material is separated from a segment of the length of lower implant material,
a first sacral leaf segment adjacent to the first vaginal leaf segment,
a second vaginal leaf segment adjacent to the first sacral leaf segment, along which a segment of the length of upper implant material is separated from a segment of the length of lower implant material, and
a second sacral leaf segment adjacent to the second vaginal leaf segment.
2. A longitudinal web as recited at claim 1 , wherein
the web comprises junctions that join the length of upper implant material to the length of lower implant,
the first vaginal leaf segment is located between a first junction and a second junction, and
the first sacral leaf segment is located between the second junction and a third junction, and the first sacral leaf segment comprises a segment of the length of upper implant material separated from a segment of the length of lower implant material.
3. A longitudinal web as recited at claim 1 , wherein
the first sacral leaf segment comprises combined open pore implant material comprising upper implant material interconnected with lower implant material, and
the second sacral leaf segment comprises combined open pore implant material comprising upper implant material interconnected with lower implant material.
4. A longitudinal web as recited at claim 1 , wherein one or more of the following conditions is met:
elasticity of open pore implant material of the first sacral segment is less than elasticity of open pore implant material of the first vaginal leaf segment;
density of open pore implant material of a sacral segment is greater than density of open pore implant material of the first vaginal leaf segment;
width of open pore implant material of a sacral segment is less than width of open pore implant material of the first vaginal leaf segment.
5. A longitudinal web as recited at claim 1 wherein a length of the first vaginal leaf segment is the same as a length of the second vaginal leaf segment, and a length of the first sacral leaf segment is the same as a length of the second sacral leaf segment.
6. A longitudinal web as recited at claim 1 wherein the longitudinal web comprises repeating sets of the first vaginal leaf segment adjacent to the first sacral leaf segment, adjacent to the second vaginal leaf segment, adjacent to the second sacral leaf segment.
7. A longitudinal web according to claim 1 wherein upper implant material along the first and second vaginal leaf segments and lower implant material along the first and second vaginal leaf segments exhibit density in a range from 15 to 25 grams per square meter.
8. A longitudinal web according to claim 1 wherein a length of the first sacral leaf segment and a length of the second sacral leaf segment are in a range of from 10 to 24 centimeters, and a length of the first vaginal leaf segment and a length of the second vaginal leaf segment are in a range of from 20 to 24 centimeters.
9. A longitudinal web according to claim 1 wherein a width of the first sacral leaf segment and a width of the second sacral leaf segment are in a range of from 1 to 4 centimeters, and a width of the first vaginal leaf segment and a width of the second vaginal leaf segment are in a range of from 3 to 6 centimeters.