EXTERNAL SENSING FOR IMPLANT RUPTURE
First Claim
1. A system for detecting rupture of an implant in a body, the system comprising:
- a sensor disposed on a surface of the implant, the sensor being configured to detect a property of a surrounding environment and to emit a wireless signal, the property being detected entirely outside or entirely inside the implant and indicating whether the rupture has occurred; and
a device external to the body and configured to receive the wireless signal from the sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a system and a method for sensing for the rupture of an implant (such as a breast implant) that has been implanted in body tissues or in an organ of a patient. In one embodiment, a system according to the present invention includes, among other possible things, a sensor coupled to an outer surface of the implant and configured to measure a property at the outer surface of the implant, for example, electrical conduction, chemical composition, or an optical property that is indicative of whether an implant rupture has occurred. The sensor is also configured to transmit a wireless signal to a device external to the body, which alerts the patient or a healthcare provider whether the measured property indicates that the implant rupture may have occurred.
106 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for detecting rupture of an implant in a body, the system comprising:
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a sensor disposed on a surface of the implant, the sensor being configured to detect a property of a surrounding environment and to emit a wireless signal, the property being detected entirely outside or entirely inside the implant and indicating whether the rupture has occurred; and a device external to the body and configured to receive the wireless signal from the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17)
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14. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensor is configured to receive power from the device inductively at about one Watt of radio-frequency output.
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18. A method for detecting rupture of an implant in a body, the method comprising:
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disposing a sensor on a surface of the implant, the sensor being configured to detect a property of a surrounding environment and to emit a wireless signal, the property being detected entirely outside or entirely inside the implant and indicating whether the rupture has occurred; providing a device external to the body and configured to receive the signal from the sensor wirelessly; connecting the device with the sensor wirelessly; and receiving an alert from the device in the event the implant rupture has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification