Artificial endocrine gland containing hormone-producing cells
First Claim
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1. An implantable device for supplying a hormone to a patient comprising:
- (a) a housing constituted by a sack and a hollow stem;
the sack having at least one access opening and being constructed of a membrane compatible with body tissue and permeable to body fluid;
the hollow stem having a distal end defining an extracorporeal segment and a proximal end defining a subcutaneous segment, the stem being compatible with body tissue and impermeable to body fluids;
the sack access opening being sealingly coupled with the proximal end of the stem and together with the stem defining an access passageway to the sack;
(b) a replaceable envelope containing live hormone-producing cells, the envelope being permeable to nutrients and a hormone;
the envelope being removably located within the sack and adapted to pass through the stem; and
(c) seal means for the access passageway.
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Abstract
An artifical endocrine gland for supplying a hormone to a patient including an implantable housing placed in the body and having an impermeable extracorpeal segment and a semipermeable subcutaneous segment. A replaceable envelope containing live hormone-producing cells such as pancreatic islet cells is then removably positioned in the housing to provide hormones to the patient.
305 Citations
35 Claims
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1. An implantable device for supplying a hormone to a patient comprising:
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(a) a housing constituted by a sack and a hollow stem;
the sack having at least one access opening and being constructed of a membrane compatible with body tissue and permeable to body fluid;
the hollow stem having a distal end defining an extracorporeal segment and a proximal end defining a subcutaneous segment, the stem being compatible with body tissue and impermeable to body fluids;
the sack access opening being sealingly coupled with the proximal end of the stem and together with the stem defining an access passageway to the sack;(b) a replaceable envelope containing live hormone-producing cells, the envelope being permeable to nutrients and a hormone;
the envelope being removably located within the sack and adapted to pass through the stem; and(c) seal means for the access passageway. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An implantable device for supplying insulin to a patient comprising:
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(a) a housing constituted by a sack and a hollow stem;
the sack having at least one access opening and being constructed of a semipermeable membrane compatible with body tissue and permeable to peritoneal fluid but substantially impermeable to bacteria;
the hollow stem having a distal end defining an extracorporeal segment and a proximal end defining a subcutaneous segment, the stem being compatible with body tissue and impermeable to body fluids;
the sack access opening being sealingly coupled with the proximal end of the stem and together with the stem defining an access passageway to the sack, the housing being adapted to be implanted in the patient with the extracorporeal segment extending outside the body of the patient;(b) a replaceable semipermeable membrane envelope containing live pancreatic islet cells, the envelope membrane being permeable to nutrients and insulin but impermeable to the pancreatic cells;
the envelope being removeably located within the sack and adapted to pass through the stem; and(c) a plug to seal the distal end of the stem. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An implantable device for supplying hormones to a patient comprising:
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(a) a hose constituted by a tube and two hollow stems;
the tube having two open ends and being constructed of a membrane compatible with body tissue and permeable to body fluids;
each stem having a distal end defining an extracorporeal segment and a proximal end defining a subcutaneous segment, each stem being compatible with body tissue and impermeable to body fluids;
each end of the tube sealingly coupled with the proximal end of each stem such that each stem defines an access passageway to the tube;(b) a replaceable envelope containing live hormone-producing cells, the envelope being permeable to nutrients and a hormone;
the envelope being removeably located within the sack and adapted to pass through either stem; and(c) seal means for each access passageway. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for supplying hormones to a patient comprising:
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(a) positioning an elongated housing having one open end in the patient, one end of the housing within the patient and having a semipermeable membrane wall and the other, open end of the housing extending outside the body; (b) removably placing into the housing a semipermeable membrane envelope containing live hormone-producing cells; and (c) sealing the open end of the housing with a plug. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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Specification