Devices, methods and systems for hydrating a medical implant material

• US 20080260598A1
• Filed: 04/17/2007
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: McKay, William F., Scifert, Jeffrey L., Gross, Jeffrey M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,358,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/162
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00969 used for transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4644 Preparation of bone graft, bone plugs or bone dowels, e.g. grinding or milling bone material bone material A61F2/28; disintegrating or milling devices B02C
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30291 spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30601 telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4685 by means of vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4693 hydraulic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/08 with provisions for removing or destroying, e.g. to facilitate mixing of contents

Abstract

Devices for hydrating materials, such as, for example, medical implant materials include a container body defining therein a hydration chamber. A barrier separates the chamber into a material holding area and a hydrating fluid bay and defines at least one aperture and is configured to allow passage of hydrating fluid from the hydrating fluid bay to the material holding area. In some embodiments, devices provided by the present application are operable for use in hydrating and delivering a material.

Claims

1. A device for hydrating a medical implant material, comprising:

a container body defining therein a hydration chamber; and

a barrier positioned in the hydration chamber and separating the chamber into a material holding area and a hydrating fluid bay, the barrier defining at least one aperture and configured to allow passage of hydrating fluid from the hydrating fluid bay to the material holding area.

2. The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the barrier defines a plurality of apertures through which the material holding area fluidly communicates with the hydrating fluid bay.

3. The device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the barrier comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a permeable element, a screen and a fabric.

4. The device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a removable seal, said seal effective to prevent passage of a hydrating fluid from the hydrating fluid bay to the material holding area until the seal is punctured or moved from at least a portion of the barrier.

5. The device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a connection port in fluid communication with the hydrating fluid bay, the port configured for engagement with a hydrating fluid source.

6. The device in accordance with claim 5, further comprising a valve in fluid communication with the material holding area.

7. The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the container body comprises first and second portions configured for alternate engagement with one another to form the hydration chamber and disengagement from one another for removal of a material from the material holding area.

8. The device in accordance with claim 7, further comprising a gasket between the first and second portions to provide a seal when the first and second portions are in an engaged position.

9. The device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a material to be hydrated contained in the material holding area;

wherein the material to be hydrated is further contained in a delivery device.

10. The device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the material is a flowable material, and wherein the container body is configured to deliver the material to an in vivo location.

11. The device in accordance with claim 10 wherein the container body is configured for attachment to a delivery device for direct delivery of the material to an in vivo location.

12. The device in accordance with claim 10 wherein the container body comprises a syringe.

13. The device in accordance with claim 10 wherein the container body comprises a cartridge configured for engagement with an expresser device.

14. The device in accordance with claim 13 wherein the expresser device comprises a syringe containing a fluid, the syringe being operable to apply hydraulic pressure to the material holding area to express the material from the material holding area.

15. The device in accordance with claim 13 wherein the expresser device comprises a mechanical piston operable to apply mechanical pressure to the material holding area to express the material from the material holding area.

16. A device for hydrating a medical implant material, comprising:

a container body defining therein a hydration chamber; and

a permeable probe-like barrier positioned in the hydration chamber, the barrier separating the chamber into an internal hydrating fluid bay and a material holding area external to the probe-like barrier;

wherein the barrier is configured to allow passage of hydrating fluid from the hydrating fluid bay to the material holding area.

17. The device in accordance with claim 16, further comprising a connection port in fluid communication with the hydrating fluid bay, the port configured for engagement with a hydrating fluid source.

18. The device in accordance with claim 16 where the container body comprises a syringe having a barrel defining therein a hydration chamber;

and wherein the probe-like barrier has a connection port affixed thereto.

19. A device for hydrating multiple quantities of a medical implant material, comprising:

a cartridge defining therein a plurality of hydration chambers; and

a plurality of permeable probe-like barriers;

wherein each barrier is positioned in a respective one of the hydration chambers and separates the respective chamber into an internal hydrating fluid bay and a material holding area external to the probe-like barrier; and

wherein the barrier is configured to allow passage of a hydrating fluid from the hydrating fluid bay to the material holding area.

20. The device in accordance with claim 19, further comprising a plurality of connection ports, each of said connection ports in fluid communication with a respective one of the plurality of hydrating fluid bays, each of the ports configured for engagement with a hydrating fluid source.

21. The device in accordance with claim 19 wherein the cartridge is configured for engagement with an expresser device.

22. The device in accordance with claim 19 wherein each of the hydrating fluid bays is in fluid communication with a manifold hydrating fluid chamber.

23. A method for hydrating and delivering material to an in vivo location, comprising:

providing a container body defining therein a tubular material holding area and a material to be hydrated contained therein;

passing a hydrating fluid into the material holding area to hydrate the material, thereby providing a flowable hydrating material;

affixing the container body to a device for delivering the flowable, hydrated material to an in vivo location, the device including;

a retaining member configured to releasably engage the container body;

an expresser component that is operable to express the material from the material holding area; and

a conduit that is operable to receive the material after it is expressed from the chamber; and

expressing the material from the material holding area and through the conduit to an in vivo location.

24. The method in accordance with claim 23 wherein the container body comprises a cartridge defining therein a plurality of hydration chambers.

25. The method in accordance with claim 23 wherein the multi-chamber cartridge comprises a revolving cartridge defining a plurality of hydration chambers.

26. The method in accordance with claim 23 wherein the multi-chamber cartridge comprises a slidable cartridge defining a plurality of hydration chambers in linear relation to one another.

27. The method in accordance with claim 23 wherein the material holding area has a first internal diameter, the conduit has a second internal diameter and the second diameter is within a range that is no more than 50% larger or smaller than the first diameter.

28. The method in accordance with claim 27 wherein the second diameter is substantially the same as the first diameter.

29. The method in accordance with claim 23 wherein the assembled container body and delivering device is operable to deliver a material having a viscosity of from 700 to about 1.0×

10⁸ centi-Poise (cP) at a temperature of from about 22°

C. to about 25°

C.

30. A method for delivering a flowable hydrated material to an in vivo location, comprising:

providing a container defining therein a tubular material holding area and containing a flowable hydrated material in the tubular material holding area;

affixing a source of hydraulic pressure to a first end of the tubular material holding area; and

transmitting hydraulic pressure from the source to the first end of the tubular material holding area to express the material from an opposite second end of the tubular material holding area.

31. The method in accordance with claim 30 wherein a first conduit is positioned between the source the first end of the tubular material holding area, and is operable to transmit hydraulic pressure from the source through the first conduit to the first end of the tubular material holding area.

32. The method in accordance with claim 30 wherein a second delivery conduit is attached to the second end of the tubular material holding area for delivery of the material from the material holding area to an in vivo location.

33. The method in accordance with claim 30 wherein the tubular material holding area has a coiled configuration.

34. The method in accordance with claim 30 wherein the tubular material holding area has a straight tube configuration.