Composite shell material for prosthesis

• US 4,944,750 A
• Filed: 10/12/1988
• Issued: 07/31/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allergan, Inc. (Canada) (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox-Uphoff International Reel
• Inventors: Cox, James E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/256,659
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 623/8, 128/165, 128/156, 428/16
• US Class Current: 623/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/12 Mammary prostheses and implants
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/233 Foamed or expanded material encased
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249976 Voids specified as closed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249991 Synthetic resin or natural rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31663 As siloxane, silicone or silane

Abstract

An implantation prosthesis, and a composite material for use in constructing this prosthesis. The material is flexible. It has an inner wall, an outer wall, and a foam layer between the walls in adherent surface-to-surface contact. The walls are made of a flexible elastomeric material with at least limited permeability. The foam is resiliently deformable to resist sharp folding of the walls, and to resist relative in-plane motion of the walls.

Claims

1. A composite material to form a flexible part of an implantable prosthesis intended to contain a fluid, said material comprising:

an inner wall, an outer wall, and a foam layer between said walls in adherent surface-to-surface contact therewith, both of said walls being made of a flexible elastomeric material which is impermeable or has limited permeability, and said foam being resiliently deformable to resist sharp folding of the walls and resiliently to resist relative in-plane motion of the walls.

2. A composite material according to claim 1 in which said foam layer is either open cell or closed cell foam.

3. A composite material according to claim 2 in which said walls are made of a vulcanized silicone elastomer, and said foam layer is made of polyurethane.

4. An implantable prosthesis having a base portion and a flexural portion, at least said flexural portion being made of a composite material according to claim 1, and forming a closed envelope with an internal cavity adapted to contain a fluid.

5. A prosthesis according to claim 4 in which said fluid is normal saline solution.