APPARATUS FOR SECURING AND TENSIONING A URETHRAL SLING TO PUBLIC BONE

摘要

Improved apparatus to secure a urethral sling (30) to pubic bone in a sub-urethral location to support the urethra and alleviate incontinence are disclosed. The urethral sling is preferably formed of a flexible sheet material extending between opposed first and second sling ends (32, 34) and bounded by opposed first and second sling sides (36, 38). The urethral sling is selectively tensioned in a central portion intermediate the first and second sling ends and/or in one or both of end portions bracketing the central portion. In one embodiment, pre-positioned plicating lines (50) in the central portion are selectively drawn and tied to slacken the central portion and tension the end portions. In further embodiments, bone anchor lines (84) passed through locations displaced from the sling ends are drawn and fixed to tension the central portion between the displaced locations and slacken the end portions.