TISSUE TRANSPLANTATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20070100277A1
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shippert Enterprises LLC (Summit Medical, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ronald Shippert
• Inventors: Shippert, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 7,789,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00969 used for transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/00 Suction or pumping devices for medical purposes; Devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body-liquids; Drainage systems catheters A61M25/00; tube connectors, tube couplings, valves or branch units specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; devices for taking samples of blood A61B5/15; filters implantable into blood vessels A61F2/01
• 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 1/895 with means for reinjection of collected fat
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/08 Lipoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/00 Devices for introducing or retaining media, e.g. remedies, in cavities of the body A61M25/00 takes precedence ; introducing or retaining ophthalmic products into the ocular cavities A61F9/0008

Abstract

A system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention includes a cannula interconnected to a washing reservoir by a flexible conduit. The washing reservoir has an outlet that is connected to the inlet of a tissue collection reservoir. Washed tissue can be removed from the washing reservoir by tipping or otherwise causing the outlet of the washing reservoir to be covered by washed tissue. Tissue collected in the tissue collection reservoir can be readied for injection into a body by removing an inner or filter chamber from an outer chamber and blocking holes in the body of the inner chamber to use the inner chamber as part of a syringe.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a tissue washing reservoir;

an inlet;

an outlet;

a tissue collection reservoir, including;

an inlet;

an outlet;

an outer chamber;

an inner chamber substantially within the outer chamber, including;

a body portion, defining a tissue collection volume in communication with the collection reservoir inlet;

a plurality of holes formed in the body portion;

a washed material conduit, wherein the washed material conduit is operable to interconnect the outlet of the washing reservoir to the inlet of the outer chamber of the collection reservoir.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a cannula;

a flexible cannula conduit, wherein the cannula conduit is operable to interconnect the cannula to the inlet of the washing reservoir.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mount operable to interconnect the collection reservoir to a support, wherein the inlet of the collection reservoir is at a top of the collection reservoir when the mount is interconnected to the support.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the outlet of the collection reservoir is at a bottom of the collection reservoir when the collection reservoir mount is interconnected to the support.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the washing reservoir further includes a lid, and wherein the inlet and the outlet of the washing reservoir are formed in the lid.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the inlet and the outlet of the washing reservoir are formed in opposite halves of the lid.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mounting platform operable to hold the collection reservoir and the washing reservoir in a desired orientation.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a vacuum source;

a vacuum source conduit interconnecting the vacuum source to the outlet of the collection reservoir.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a cannula;

a flexible cannula conduit, wherein the cannula conduit interconnects the cannula to the inlet of the washing reservoir;

a liquid irrigant in the washing reservoir.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an inner chamber sleeve operable to seal the plurality of holes in the body of the inner chamber.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes of the inner chamber are distributed such that a greater percentage of the area of the body portion towards an inlet to the inner chamber comprises holes than towards a distal portion of the inner chamber.

12. A method for transplanting tissue, comprising:

removing tissue from a body using a first cannula and a vacuum formed by a vacuum source;

depositing at least some of the removed tissue in a washing reservoir through a washing reservoir inlet;

removing washed tissue from the washing reservoir by causing the outlet of the washing reservoir to be covered with washed tissue so that at least some of the washed tissue is drawn through a washing reservoir outlet using the vacuum formed by the vacuum source;

collecting the washed tissue drawn from the washing reservoir in a filter chamber.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

washing the removed tissue in a solution in the washing reservoir to create the washed tissue.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein washing the removed tissue in the washing reservoir includes placing the removed tissue in a liquid irrigant.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein causing the outlet of the washing reservoir to be covered with washed tissue including tipping the washing reservoir.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

removing the filter chamber containing collected tissue from an outer chamber;

injecting at least some of the collected tissue into the body, wherein injecting at least some of the collected tissue into the body includes;

covering holes in a body portion of the filter chamber;

placing one of the cannula used to remove tissue and a reinjection cannula in communication with an inlet to the filter chamber;

injecting at least some of the collected tissue from the filter chamber into the body through the cannula.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the filter chamber has an inlet, and wherein the filter chamber is held such that the filter chamber inlet is at a top of the filter chamber while the washed tissue is being collected in the filter chamber.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the filter chamber is disposed within a volume defined by an outer chamber while the washed tissue is collected in the filter chamber, and wherein the outer chamber has an inlet that surrounds the inlet of the filter chamber while the washed tissue is collected in the filter chamber, and wherein the outer chamber has an outlet that is connected to the vacuum source.

19. A tissue transplantation system, comprising:

means for creating a vacuum;

means for removing tissue from a body using a vacuum produced by said means for creating a vacuum;

means for washing tissue removed from the body, wherein washed tissue is created;

means for interconnecting said means for removing tissue from a body to said means for washing tissue, wherein said tissue removed from a body is deposited in said means for washing tissue using the vacuum produced by said means for creating a vacuum;

means for collecting said washed tissue;

means for interconnecting said means for washing tissue to said means for collecting washed tissue, wherein said washed tissue is moved through said means for interconnecting said means for washing tissue to said means for collecting washed tissue by said vacuum produced by said means for creating a vacuum;

means for interconnecting said means for collecting washed tissue to said means for creating a vacuum.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for holding said means for washing tissue removed from the body in a first orientation while tissue is being deposited in said means for washing tissue removed from the body, wherein said means for washing tissue removed from the body is disconnected from said means for holding to move said washed tissue through said means for interconnecting said means for washing tissue to said means for collecting washed tissue.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for injecting collected tissue into the body, including;

at least a portion of said means for collecting said washed tissue;

means for sealing holes in a body of said at least a portion of said means for collecting said washed tissue;

means for forcing said washed tissue collected in said means for collecting washed tissue out an outlet of said at least a portion of said means for collecting washed tissue.