Implant and inflating construction

• US 4,944,749 A
• Filed: 07/27/1988
• Issued: 07/31/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BHCL Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Hilton Becker
• Inventors: Becker, Hilton
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David J.
• Application Number:
  US07/225,634
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 623/7, 623/8, 623/11, 623/12
• US Class Current: 623/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/12 Mammary prostheses and implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0003 having an inflatable pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid or gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0004 adjustable

Abstract

An implant and inflating valve construction which includes separate inner and outer membranes each having a separate valve. The outer membrane contains a viscous gel and the inner membrane is inflatable by saline through a removable soft filling tube which passes through the valves. The gel helps seal the valves and around the filling tube when it is in place. The filling tube is stretched during insertion and removal.

Claims

1. An implant system comprising

inner and outer inflatable lumens each comprised of a respective membrane, said inner and outer lumens being unattached and freely movable relative to each other,

each of said membranes having a separate valve for inflating each lumen respectively,

a separate and removable filling tube adapted for penetrating each of said valves when they are in a predetermined position and aligned;

a volume of viscous gel between said inner and outer lumen for inflating the outer lumen,

said valves having self sealing means whereby the filling fluid exerts a biasing force on the valve of the inner lumen which together with the viscous gel closes the valve of the inner lumen when the filling tube is removed and the viscous gel exerts a biasing force on the valve of the outer lumen which sealingly closes the valve of the outer lumen.

2. The implant system in claim 1, said filling tube being soft and flexible, whereby to allow said tube to remain in place without puncturing said implant.

3. The implant system in claim 1 wherein said valves each comprise separable flaps of soft, pliable material formed integrally with and extending inwardly of the respective membranes.

4. The implant system in claim 1, said inner membrane adapted to be filled with saline.

5. The implant system in claim 1 wherein said valves including opposed flaps extending inwardly of the respective membranes and normally cooperatively engaging, said flaps adapted to part upon passage of said filling tube therebetween and wherein said filling tube is sized to provide an interference fit with said valves and includes an elongated passage therethrough which is closed at the distal end of said tube.

6. A method of inflating an implant in the human body, wherein said implant is comprised of a first inflatable lumen and a second inflatable lumen that includes and surrounds said first lumen, wherein each lumen is unattached to the outer and is freely movable relative to the other, and wherein each lumen includes a respective valve for passing an inflating fluid through the respective valve to inflate the respective lumen, each said valve being independent of the other and being movable with its respective lumen, and wherein said second lumen is inflated with a viscous gel to a desired state of inflation with the viscous gel in contact with both of said valves, said method of inflating the implant comprising the steps,

manipulating said lumens and valves to bring said two valves into alignment with each other along a desired path,

inserting a filling tube through the valve in said second lumen, through said second lumen, through the valve in said first lumen and into the interior of said first lumen,

implanting said implant in a human body at a prepared location,

passing an inflating liquid through said filling tube into said first lumen of the inflated implant to inflate the first lumen to a desired amount,

withdrawing said filling tube from the first lumen and first valve and from the second valve and second lumen without passing any additional fluid through the filling tube once the withdrawal commences, and

permitting the gel in said second lumen to continue to contact both of said valves to thereby aid in sealing the respective lumens against leakage of the respective fluid therein.