Laminated barriers for tissue implants
First Claim
1. A composite laminated porous structure for implanting living cells in a host tissue comprisinga first membrane element having a first characteristic beneficial for survival of the implanted cells,a second membrane element having second characteristic, different than the first characteristic, beneficial for survival of the implanted cells,the characteristic of one of the membrane elements including a flux value that supports transfer of nutrients and waste materials through the one membrane element sufficient to sustain metabolic processes of the implanted cells,adhesive material comprising a mixture of a resin and a solvent applied to create a pattern of spaced apart filaments that forms an interface between the first and second membrane elements, the interface having been melted in place by application of heat and solidified by cooling to secure the first and second membrane elements together into a composite laminated structure having tensile strength to withstand physiological stresses when implanted in the host tissue, the interface also retaining the characteristics of both membrane elements so that the characteristics of each membrane element is imparted to the composite structure.
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Abstract
Improved Implant assemblies and methodologies provide immuno-protection for implanted allografts, xenografts, and isografts. The assemblies and methodologies establish an improved boundary between the host and the implanted cells. The boundary structure is laminated, combining elements having different characteristics beneficial to the survival of the implanted cells. Filaments of adhesive material lay in between the elements. The filaments of adhesive material have been melted in place by the application of heat and solidified in place by cooling to secure the elements together into a composite laminated structure.
393 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A composite laminated porous structure for implanting living cells in a host tissue comprising
a first membrane element having a first characteristic beneficial for survival of the implanted cells, a second membrane element having second characteristic, different than the first characteristic, beneficial for survival of the implanted cells, the characteristic of one of the membrane elements including a flux value that supports transfer of nutrients and waste materials through the one membrane element sufficient to sustain metabolic processes of the implanted cells, adhesive material comprising a mixture of a resin and a solvent applied to create a pattern of spaced apart filaments that forms an interface between the first and second membrane elements, the interface having been melted in place by application of heat and solidified by cooling to secure the first and second membrane elements together into a composite laminated structure having tensile strength to withstand physiological stresses when implanted in the host tissue, the interface also retaining the characteristics of both membrane elements so that the characteristics of each membrane element is imparted to the composite structure.
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2. A composite laminated porous structure for implanting living cells in a host tissue comprising
a first porous element having a first characteristic comprising a structural conformation that, when implanted, supports growth of vascular structures by the host tissue in the first porous element, a second porous element having a second characteristic comprising a pore size that isolates the implanted cells from immune response of the host tissue and a flux value that supports transfer of nutrients and waste materials through the second porous element sufficient to sustain metabolic processes of the implanted cells, adhesive material comprising a mixture of a resin and a solvent applied to create a pattern of spaced apart filaments comprising an interface between the first and second porous elements, the interface having been melted in place by application of heat and solidified by cooling to secure the first and second porous elements together into a composite laminated porous structure having tensile strength to withstand physiological stresses when implanted in the host tissue, the interface also retaining both first and second characteristics of the porous elements so that each characteristic is imparted to the composite structure.
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4. A method of making a composite laminated porous structure for implanting living cells in host tissue comprising the steps of
providing first and second membrane materials, the first membrane element having a first characteristic beneficial for survival of implanted cells, the second membrane element having a second characteristic, different than the first characteristic, beneficial for survival of implanted cells, one of the first and second characteristics including a flux value that supports transfer of nutrients and waste materials through the one membrane material sufficient to sustain metabolic processes of the implanted cells, laying the first membrane material upon a first lamination slide, applying to the surface of at least one of the membrane materials an adhesive material comprising a mixture of a resin and a solvent to create a pattern of spaced apart filaments comprising an interface between the first membrane material and the second membrane material, laying the second membrane material upon the first membrane material with the interface between the first and second membrane materials, placing a second lamination slide on the second membrane material and clamping the first and second lamination slides to form a clamped assembly that applies pressure upon the first and second membrane materials and the interface between them, heating the clamped assembly, cooling the clamped assembly to solidify the interface to secure the first and second membrane materials together into a composite laminated structure having tensile strength to withstand physiological stresses when implanted in the host tissue, the interface retaining both first and second characteristics of the porous elements so that each characteristic is imparted to the composite laminated structure, and unclamping and removing the first and second lamination slides to free the composite laminated structure for use.
Specification