Granted Patent B2

US 12,471,975 · App. 18/765,665 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Inventors: Charles L. Euteneuer (St. Michael, MN); Rebecca McCarville (Spring Park, MN); Duane Frion (Brooklyn, MN); Nathaniel Zenz-Olson (Blaine, MN); Diane M. Feehan (Corcoran, MN); John Quackenbush (Saint Paul, MN)

A61B17/8872A61B17/0642A61B17/0682A61B17/88A61F2/0063A61F2/0811A61B2017/303A61F2002/0072A61F2/08

Abstract

Claims (33)

1 . An implant delivery system adapted to deliver a sheet-like implant to a target tissue, the implant delivery system comprising:

the sheet-like implant having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface configured to be positioned against the target tissue;

a delivery shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

an implant expander positioned proximate the distal end of the delivery shaft, the implant expander configured to engage the upper surface of the sheet-like implant to move the sheet-like implant between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration; and

a projection extending distally from the delivery shaft along a longitudinal axis of the delivery shaft, the projection extending through the sheet-like implant in both the compact configuration and the expanded configuration.

2 . The implant delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the projection comprises a pointed distal tip pointing in a distal direction along the longitudinal axis.

3 . The implant delivery system of claim 2 , wherein the pointed distal tip is configured to penetrate into the target tissue.

4 . The implant delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the implant expander is movable relative to the delivery shaft to move the sheet-like implant from the compact configuration to the expanded configuration.

5 . The implant delivery system of claim 4 , wherein the implant expander includes a first leg and a second leg.

6 . An implant delivery system adapted to deliver a sheet-like implant to a target tissue, the implant delivery system comprising:

a delivery sheath having a lumen therein;

the sheet-like implant having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface configured to be positioned against the target tissue;

a delivery shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and movably disposed in the lumen of the delivery sheath;

an implant expander positioned proximate the distal end of the delivery shaft, the implant expander configured to engage the upper surface of the sheet-like implant to move the sheet-like implant between a compact configuration when constrained within the delivery sheath and an expanded configuration when deployed from the delivery sheath; and

a projection extending distally from the delivery shaft along a longitudinal axis of the delivery shaft, the projection extending through the sheet-like implant in both the compact configuration and the expanded configuration.

7 . The implant delivery system of claim 6 , wherein the projection comprises a pointed distal tip pointing in a distal direction along the longitudinal axis.

8 . The implant delivery system of claim 7 , wherein the pointed distal tip is configured to penetrate into the target tissue.

9 . The implant delivery system of claim 7 , wherein the pointed distal tip penetrates through the sheet-like implant in the expanded configuration.

10 . The implant delivery system of claim 6 , wherein the implant expander is movable relative to the delivery shaft to move the sheet-like implant from the compact configuration to the expanded configuration.

11 . The implant delivery system of claim 10 , wherein the implant expander includes a first leg and a second leg.

12 . A method of deploying a sheet-like implant comprising:

positioning an implant delivery device proximate a target tissue site, the implant delivery device comprising:

a delivery shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

an implant expander positioned proximate the distal end of the delivery shaft;

a projection extending distally from the delivery shaft along a longitudinal axis of the delivery shaft;

a sheath having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a lumen, wherein at least a portion of the delivery shaft is slidably disposed in the lumen; and

the sheet-like implant disposed at least partially within the sheath in a compact configuration with the projection extending through the sheet-like implant from an upper surface of the sheet-like implant to a lower surface of the sheet-like implant;

advancing the delivery shaft distally through the sheath to cause the implant expander and the sheet-like implant to advance through a distal opening of the sheath, wherein after advancing through the distal opening of the sheath, pressing the implant expander against the upper surface of the sheet-like implant in order to position the lower surface of the sheet-like implant against the target tissue site in an expanded configuration; and

withdrawing the delivery shaft and the implant expander proximally from the sheet-like implant.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising moving the implant expander relative to the delivery shaft to move the sheet-like implant from the compact configuration to the expanded configuration.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising penetrating the projection into the target tissue site.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the projection includes a pointed distal tip.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the implant expander includes a first leg and a second leg.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (9)

References Cited (400)