Closed System and Method for Atraumatic, Low Pressure, Continuous Harvesting, Processing, and Grafting of Lipoaspirate

• US 20080167613A1
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lipocosm LLC
• Original Assignee: Lipocosm LLC
• Inventors: Khouri, Roger K., Kuru, Murat
• Granted Patent: US 8,968,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/119
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/67 Containers incorporating a piston-type member to create suction, e.g. syringes cupping glasses A61M1/08; with a flexible member creating suction A61M1/68
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/71 Suction drainage systems containers therefor A61M1/60, A61M1/64; negative pressure wound therapy systems A61M1/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/81 Piston pumps, e.g. syringes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/84 Drainage tubes; Aspiration tips for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/90; for surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/87 Details of the aspiration tip, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/89 Suction aspects of liposuction surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32
• 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 2202/0021 removed from and reintroduced into the body, e.g. after treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/08 Lipoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/073 Syringe, piston type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/24 Check- or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14216 Reciprocating piston type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7838 Plural
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet

Abstract

A closed system for harvesting fat through liposuction, concentrating the aspirate so obtained, and then re-injecting the concentrated fat into a patient comprises as its main components a low pressure cannula having between about 7 to 12 side holes of about 1-2 mm by 2.0 to 4.0 mm, a spring loaded syringe holder with a helicoidal spring to apply a substantially constant pressure over the full excursion of the plunger, and a preferably flexible collection bag which is also preferably graduated, cylindrical over most of its body and funnel shaped at its bottom, all of which are connected through flexible tubings to a multi-port valve. The multi-port valve has two flutter/duck bill valves which restrict the fluid flow to a one way direction which effectively allows the syringe to be used to pump fat out of a patient and into a collection bag in a continuous manner. After the bags are centrifuged to concentrate the fat, the excess fluids are separated and the valve is re-connected to permit the syringe pump to reverse fluid flow to graft the concentrated fat back into the patient.

Claims

1. A closed system for low pressure harvesting of aspirate from a patient comprising a multi-port liposuction cannula, a constant low pressure suction device, a repository for receiving the aspirate, and a multi-port valve having a separate port for connection to a separate one of each of the foregoing whereby activation of the suction device harvests aspirate from the patient and through the cannula, through the valve and into the repository.

2. The closed system of claim 1 wherein the cannula has between about seven to about twelve holes, substantially all of said holes being each about 1.0 to about 2.0 mm by about 2.0 to about 4.0 mm.

3. The closed system of claim 2 wherein said suction device generates about 250 mm Hg to about 350 mm Hg of negative pressure over a controlled period of time.

4. The closed system of claim 3 wherein said cannula has between about nine to twelve holes.

5. The closed system of claim 1 wherein said constant low pressure suction device includes a syringe holder having a spring for attachment to a syringe plunger, said syringe plunger having a matching tube, said spring being biased to withdraw the syringe from within the tube upon its release.

6. The closed system of claim 5 wherein said spring comprises at least one helicoidal spring.

7. The closed system of claim 1 wherein said constant low pressure suction device includes a syringe driver.

8. The closed system of claim 7 wherein said syringe driver includes a mechanical force applicator for applying a force to the syringe.

9. The closed system of claim 8 wherein said mechanical force applicator comprises at least one helicoidal spring.

10. The closed system of claim 1 wherein the multi-port valve includes at least three ports, and wherein at least two of said ports have one way internal valves.

11. The closed system of claim 10 wherein at least one of said one way internal valves comprise a duck bill valve.

12. The closed system of claim 10 wherein at least one of said one way internal valves comprise a flutter valve.

13. The closed system of claim 10 wherein said multi-port valve has four ports, and at least one of said ports may be capped.

14. The closed system of claim 1 wherein said repository comprises a flexible bag having at least one port near its bottom.

15. The closed system of claim 14 wherein said flexible bag is graduated and substantially transparent.

16. A method for harvesting fat through liposuction with the closed system of claim 1, the method comprising inserting the cannula into a patient'"'"'s desired location for removal of fat and repeatedly activating the constant low pressure suction device.

17. A method for harvesting fat through low pressure liposuction comprising inserting a multi-ported cannula into a patient'"'"'s body, the cannula being connected to a multi-ported valve, operating a constant low pressure suction device to apply a negative pressure to said cannula through said valve, and diverting the flow of fat aspirated through said cannula through said valve and into a bag for collection.

18. A closed system for continuously aspirating fat from a patient'"'"'s body, the system comprising a negative pressure source, a collection reservoir, a cannula and a routing valve interconnecting all three so that repeated operation of the negative pressure source generates a continuous flow of aspirated fat through the cannula, into the valve and on into a collection receptacle.

19. The closed system of claim 18 wherein said negative pressure source comprises a syringe, and wherein said repeated operation of the negative pressure source includes at least partially filling the syringe and then emptying it in each operation.

20. The closed system of claim 19 further comprising a spring connected to said syringe and biased to withdraw a syringe plunger from within its receiving tube with a substantially constant pressure.

21. The closed system of claim 18 wherein said routing valve comprises a multi-port valve, and further comprising at least two internal one-way valves associated with two of said ports.

22. The closed system of claim 21 wherein said internal one way valves comprise either duck bill or flutter valves.

23. A low pressure cannula for aspirating fat from a patient'"'"'s body, the cannula comprising a cannula body and between about 7 to about 12 holes spaced along its length, each of said holes being about 1.0 to about 2.0 mm by about 2.0 to about 4.0 mm each.

24. The cannula of claim 23 wherein said cannula body has a bore of about 2.4 to about 2.7 mm.

25. A multi-port valve for use in collecting adipocytes during liposuction, the valve having at least one internal duck bill or flutter valve associated with at least one port to render that port a one way passage.

26. The multi-port valve of claim 25 wherein at least two ports have an associated internal duck bill or flutter valve, and said internal duck bill or flutter valves are oriented to permit one way flow through both as fluid enters and leaves the multi-port valve.

27. The multi-port valve of claim 25 wherein said multi-port valve includes 4 ports, and wherein at least one of said ports is adapted to be closed to prohibit fluid flow therethrough.

28. The multi-port valve of claim 27 wherein the ports having associated duck bill or flutter valves are oriented opposite from another port without a valve.

29. The multi-port valve of claim 28 wherein the multi-port valve has four ports, said four ports being situated substantially orthogonally in a common plane.

30. A constant pressure syringe driver device, said device including a bracket for engaging a syringe plunger and a mechanical force applier attached to said bracket, said mechanical force applier being biased so that upon its release it withdraws the syringe plunger from within its receiving tube with a constant force.

31. The syringe driver device of claim 30 wherein said mechanical force applier comprises at least one spring.

32. The syringe driver device of claim 31 wherein said spring comprises a helicoidal spring.

33. The syringe driver device of claim 30 wherein said syringe driver device comprises a holder for receiving a syringe.

34. A method for harvesting fat through low pressure liposuction, concentrating the fat, and then re-injecting it with a single closed system comprising inserting a multi-ported cannula into a patient'"'"'s body, the cannula being connected to a multi-ported valve, operating a constant low pressure suction device to apply a negative pressure to said cannula through said valve, diverting the flow of fat aspirated through said cannula through said valve and into a bag for collection, centrifuging one or more of said bags to concentrate the fat, separate the concentrated fat by draining any other fluids from said bags, re-connecting one of said bags to said valve and operating the constant low pressure suction device to withdraw the concentrated fat from the bag and push it through the cannula back into the patient'"'"'s body.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising reversing the cannula and collection bag connections to said valve after aspirating the fat and before re-injecting the concentrated fat.