US 6,981,944 B2
Implantable surgical mesh having a lubricious coating
Dennis D. Jamiolkowski, Long Valley, N.J. (US); and Andrea Slater-Tomko, Easton, Pa. (US)
Assigned to Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, N.J. (US)
Filed on Jun. 28, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/878,159.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/485271, filed on Jul. 07, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2005/0010078 A1, Jan. 13, 2005
Int. Cl. A61F 2/02 (2006.01); A61B 19/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 600—30 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for implanting a mesh within a patient, the method comprising:
providing a mesh having a mesh surface and being composed of a plurality of woven or knitted fibers, the mesh having a needle attached thereto and a bio-absorbable lubricious coating on either the surface of the mesh or each of the fibers of the mesh before the mesh is woven or knitted;
implanting the mesh in the patient; and
irrigating the mesh implanted within the patient until the lubricious coating is removed.