Surgically implantable tissue expanding device and the method of its use
First Claim
1. A surgically implantable device for expanding skin tissue and mucous membrane, the device comprising a partially collapsed sealed flexible envelope formed substantially from a membrane which is permeable to extracellular body fluid and a material contained within the envelope which is selected to provide sufficient osmotic pressure across the membrane to draw extracellular fluid thereacross, causing the envelope to expand and resulting in corresponding expansion of tissue under which the device is implanted.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgically implantable device for expanding skin and mucous tissue comprises a partially collapsed sealed envelope formed from a material which is permeable to extracellular body fluid. The envelope contains a material which establishes an osmotic potential across the envelope wall. Body fluid crosses the membrane to fill the envelope. As the envelope fills it expands the adjacent tissue. In use, the partially collapsed envelope is surgically implanted under the tissue to be expanded and is allowed to absorb fluid whereby expansion of the bag and subsequent tissue expansion is accomplished. A variety of surgical procedures using the expanded tissue are possible.
144 Citations
15 Claims
- 1. A surgically implantable device for expanding skin tissue and mucous membrane, the device comprising a partially collapsed sealed flexible envelope formed substantially from a membrane which is permeable to extracellular body fluid and a material contained within the envelope which is selected to provide sufficient osmotic pressure across the membrane to draw extracellular fluid thereacross, causing the envelope to expand and resulting in corresponding expansion of tissue under which the device is implanted.
Specification