Methods of using compressible tubes for placing implants

摘要

Medical delivery devices include a needle and a flexible compressible impermeable tube attached to the needle. The compressible tube has an open interior channel. The device is adapted to releasably hold a length of a medical implant in the open interior channel of the tube. The medical implant can be slidably inserted into the interior channel of the tube and is loosely held by the tube.

主权项

1. A method of placing a medical construct in a body of a subject, comprising:
providing a surgical delivery device comprising a needle attached to a compressible tube with an open interior channel having an open trailing end residing a distance away from the needle, the compressible tube surrounding an elongate medical construct having a body with a length and having a free leading end in the tube, wherein at least 20% of the construct body length, including the leading free end, is releasably held in the open interior channel of the tube, wherein the construct body swells when exposed to liquid in the body of the subject; pulling the needle and tube through a local intrabody structure; compressing the tube and the medical construct in response to pressure applied from contact with the local intrabody structure during the pulling step, thereby also pulling the portion of the medical construct held in the tube through the local intrabody structure as the tube is pulled through the local intrabody structure; and only securing the medical construct to the tube and needle using a compression force that is temporarily applied during the compressing step; then separating the medical construct from the tube after the compressing step by continuing to pull the tube after the tube has exited the local intrabody structure so that the medical construct entirely slidably exits the open trailing end of the tube and placing the medical construct in the body of the subject.