A DEVICE SUITABLE FOR USE DURING DEPLOYMENT OF A MEDICAL DEVICE

摘要

A medical assembly comprises a soft tissue implant (16) for treating a first portion of body tissue during hernia repair, and a device (20). The device (20) comprises a support element (31) to support the soft tissue implant (16) during deployment. The device (20) comprises an elongate drawstring to releasably couple the soft tissue implant (16) to the support element (31). The support element (31) and the soft tissue implant (16) are movable between a collapsed delivery configuration, and an expanded deployment configuration. During deployment a second end (33) of the support element (31) engages with a second portion of body tissue to maintain the second portion of body tissue spaced-apart from the soft tissue implant (16). The support element (31) comprises an access opening (34) through which one or more instruments may be extended to access the soft tissue implant (16). The soft tissue implant (16) is attached to the first portion of body tissue using a suture. After deployment the support element (31) may be released from the soft tissue implant (16) and removed.