Tissue transplantation method and apparatus

• US 20060213374A1
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shippert Enterprises LLC (Summit Medical, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ronald D. Shippert
• Inventors: Shippert, Ronald D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,794,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/472
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00969 used for transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/772 operating alternately
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/774 Handpieces specially adapted for providing suction as well as irrigation, either simultaneously or independently
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/79 Filters for solid matter specially adapted for dental use A61C17/065
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/892 with treatment of the collected fat
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/08 Lipoids

Abstract

The present invention provides for the transplantation of tissue from a donor site in a body to a recipient site. The device includes an outer chamber having an interior volume in which a perforated inner chamber can be placed. During the aspiration of tissue, a vacuum is formed in the interior volume of the outer chamber, to draw tissue from a cannula into the perforated inner chamber. The perforations are sized such that fat is collected within the inner chamber, while fluids and other materials are drawn through the perforations, away from the collected fat. For reinjection, the inner chamber can be removed from the outer chamber, and a sleeve positioned to cover the perforations and thereby form a syringe body that can be interconnected to a needle and plunger for reinjection of the collected fat.

Claims

1. A device for use in tissue transplantation, comprising:

a tissue conduit;

a substantially rigid outer chamber defining an interior volume including;

an outlet fitting, wherein said interior volume may be placed in communication with a vacuum source;

an inlet fitting;

at least a first substantially rigid inner chamber including;

a substantially cylindrical body portion and a substantially cylindrical interior bore;

a plurality of perforations in said body portion;

an inlet at a distal end of said body portion, wherein said inlet is adapted for mating with said inlet fitting of said outer chamber; and

an open proximal end;

a plug member adapted to be received by at least said open proximal end of said inner chamber.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is capable of at least first and second modes of operation, and wherein in said first mode of operation said inner chamber is located within said interior volume of said outer chamber, said interior bore is in communication with said tissue conduit through at least said inlet, and said plug member is received by said open proximal end of said inner chamber body portion.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a fluid reservoir in communication with said inlet of said at least a first inner chamber.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a fluid reservoir; and

a valve, wherein said fluid reservoir is in communication with said inlet of said at least a first inner chamber when said valve is in an open position.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said tissue conduit comprises a cannula.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said tissue conduit includes a cannula interconnected to said inlet by flexible tubing.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said substantially rigid outer chamber further includes a seat for receiving said end of said inlet of said first inner chamber.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said inlet of said at least a first inner chamber comprises a luer lock.

9. The device of claim 2, further comprising:

an inner chamber sleeve having a plurality of perforations in contact with said body portion of said at least a first inner chamber, wherein in said first mode of operation said inner chamber sleeve is aligned such that at least most of said plurality of perforations in said inner chamber sleeve is aligned with one of said perforations of said plurality of perforations in said inner chamber, wherein said interior bore is in communication with said interior volume of said outer chamber through at least said at least most of said plurality of perforations in said inner chamber sleeve.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein in said second mode of operation said inner chamber is removed from said interior volume of said outer chamber, and said inner chamber sleeve is aligned so that said all of said plurality of perforations in said body portion of said inner chamber are covered by solid portions of said inner chamber sleeve.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plunger adapted for insertion within said substantially cylindrical bore of said inner chamber; and

an inner chamber sleeve adapted to cover said plurality of perforations in said body portion of said inner chamber, wherein communication between said interior bore and an exterior of said inner chamber through said plurality of perforations is blocked by said sleeve.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said inner chamber is removed from said interior volume of said outer chamber, said plug member is removed from said open proximal end of said inner chamber body portion, said plunger is inserted in said cylindrical bore of said inner chamber, and said sleeve is in place to cover said plurality of perforations in said body portion of said inner chamber.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein said perforations do not extend along at least a first line along said substantially cylindrical body portion of said inner chamber, wherein said inner chamber sleeve is split, and wherein said split in said inner chamber is placed over said first line and said inner chamber sleeve covers substantially all of said cylindrical body portion of said inner chamber.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein said inner chamber sleeve is inserted inside said substantially cylindrical bore, and wherein said plunger is inserted within said inner chamber sleeve.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of said inner chambers, wherein in a first mode of operation at least more than one of said inner chambers is located within said interior volume of said outer chamber.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an absorption stick, wherein in a first mode of operation said absorption stick is located within said interior bore of said inner chamber.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein said plug member includes an interior bore, said device further comprising:

an inner syringe center tube having an open proximal end and a plurality of perforations held within said interior bore of said plug member, wherein said interior bore of said inner syringe is additionally in communication with said interior of said outer chamber through said plurality of perforations and said open proximal end of said inner syringe center tube when said device is in a first mode of operation.

18. The device of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum source interconnected to said outer chamber outlet fitting by a suction line.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein said outer chamber includes an open proximal end, wherein said plug member comprises an integrated plug unit adapted to be received by said open proximal end of said inner chamber and by said open proximal end of said outer chamber.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said integrated plug unit includes:

an outer chamber seal;

an inner chamber seal; and

a central tube with an opening located between said inner chamber seal and said outer chamber seal.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein said integrated plug unit further includes a perforated central suction tube.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein said perforations each have a diameter of about 0.02 inches.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein said inlet of said at least a first inner chamber has an inner diameter of at least 0.07 inches.

24. A method for transplanting tissue, comprising:

removing tissue from a body using a first cannula in communication with a vacuum source;

depositing at least some of said removed tissue in a perforated chamber in communication with to said first cannula and said vacuum source;

disconnecting said perforated chamber from said first cannula and said vacuum source;

interconnecting said perforated chamber to a second cannula;

blocking said perforations of said perforated chamber, wherein substantially all of said tissue deposited in said perforated chamber is separated from an environment outside of said perforated chamber; and

forcing at least some of said tissue deposited in said perforated chamber out of said perforated chamber through said second cannula.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

instilling an additive into said tissue as said tissue is being deposited in said perforated chamber.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

instilling an additive into said tissue deposited in said perforated chamber.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said forcing at least some of said tissue deposited in said perforated chamber out of said perforated chamber through said second needle includes depositing at least some of said tissue in said body.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said disconnecting said perforated chamber and said vacuum source includes removing said perforated chamber from a vacuum chamber.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

removing a plug from a proximal end of said perforated chamber, wherein said second cannula is interconnected to a distal end of said perforated chamber; and

placing a plunger in said proximal end of said perforated chamber, wherein said forcing at least some of said tissue deposited in said perforated chamber out of said perforated chamber through said second cannula includes applying force to said plunger to move said plunder within an interior of said perforated chamber and towards said distal end of said perforated chamber.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein between said step of depositing at least some of said removed tissue in said perforated chamber and forcing at least some of said tissue deposited in said perforated chamber out of said perforated chamber through said second cannula, said tissue is not removed from said perforated chamber.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein said depositing at least some of said removed tissue in a perforated chamber comprises depositing tissue in a plurality of perforated chambers.

32. An apparatus for performing tissue transplantation, comprising:

means for maintaining a vacuum within a defined volume, including inlet means and outlet means;

means for creating a vacuum interconnected to said outlet means of said maintaining a vacuum within a defined volume;

means for collecting tissue from a body, wherein said means for collecting tissue is interconnected to said inlet means of said means for maintaining a vacuum within a defined volume;

means for filtering said collected tissue from a flow of material passing generally from said inlet means of said means for maintaining a vacuum and towards said outlet means of said means for maintaining a vacuum, wherein said means for maintaining a vacuum includes means for permitting access to an interior of said defined volume to remove said means for filtering; and

means for forcing said collected tissue from said means for filtering through a cannula and into a body.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said means for filtering includes a plurality of perforations, said apparatus further comprising:

means for selectively blocking said plurality of perforations.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising:

means for instilling a fluid to said flow of material.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising a plurality of means for collecting tissue from a body.