Implantable prosthesis having a self-sealing valve

• US 3,919,724 A
• Filed: 06/07/1974
• Issued: 11/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David H. Sanders, Henry W. Lynch, Sennen Uy
• Original Assignee: David H. Sanders, Henry W. Lynch, Sennen Uy
• Inventors: Lynch, Henry W., Sanders, David H., Uy, Sennen
• Primary Examiner(s): Frinks, Ronald L.
• Application Number:
  US05/477,307
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 3/1,36 128/349B,349BV,214R,2R,DIG.25
• US Class Current: 623/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/12 Mammary prostheses and implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers

Abstract

An implantable breast prosthesis including a flexible container formed from a medical grade of silicone elastomer, a self-sealing valve provided on the inside surface of the container, the valve being formed of a self-sealing gel and including sufficient barium sulfate, bismuth subcarbonate or tantalum powder so that the valve is radiopaque for easy location after implanting in the body, and an injection assembly for inflating the container with a fluid after implantation in the body, said assembly including a catheter for penetrating the valve and a syringe for injecting into or removing fluid from the container through the catheter, the fluid comprising either a saline solution or a gel. The selfsealing gel can also be used as a valve for a catheter or in a fistula for hemodialysis.

Claims

1. An implantable prosthesis comprising a flexible container having the shape of a breast, a self-sealing valve provided on the inside surface of said container, a shell formed from a flexible medical grade material, a self-sealing gel completely filling said shell, a radiopaque material being combined with said gel, a fluid in said container, and means for injecting and withdrawing said fluid through said valve into or out of said container said radiopaque material being selected from the group consisting of barium sulfate, bismuth subcarbonate and tantalum.

2. The prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein said fluid is a saline solution.

3. AN IMPLANTABLE BREAST PROSHESIS COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE CONTAINER HAVING THE SHAPE OF A HUMAN BREAST, A SELF-SEALING VALVE PROVIDED ON THE EDGE OF THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE CONTAINER, SAID VALVE INCLUDING A SHELL OF ORGANOSILOXANE COPOLYMER MATERIAL, A SELF-SEALING GEL COMPLETELY FILING SAID SHELL AND

4. A self-sealing valve for admitting gaseous and fluid mediums into an implantable breast prosthesis after implantation of the prosthesis in the human body, said valve including a shell formed from a flexible medical grade material, a self-sealing gel filling said shell and a radiopaque material combined with said self-sealing gel.