Tissue graft construct for replacement of cartilaginous structures

• US 6,176,880 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1997
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DePuy Orthopaedics Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: DePuy Orthopaedics Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Plouhar, Pamela L., May, Thomas C., Lower, Jerry L., Dunn, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prebilic, Paul B.
• Application Number:
  US08/913,771
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 623/11, 623/13, 623/901, 623/23.72, 623/13.17, 623/14.12, 600/36, 600/37
• US Class Current: 623/13.17
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/282 Jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00969 used for transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30756 Cartilage endoprostheses A61F2/3603 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3094 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3872 Meniscus for implantation between the natural bone surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/40 for shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4261 for wrists
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/442 Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30461 sutured, ligatured or stitched
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30563 having elastic means or damping means, different from springs, e.g. including an elastomeric core or shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30971 Laminates, i.e. layered products
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2240/001 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/908 Bone

Abstract

A reconstructive structure for a cartilaginous element having a plurality of superimposed layers of intestinal submucosa tissue compressed and secured together and shaped to provide a reconstructive structure having the anatomical shape of the cartilaginous element to be reconstructed is described. The method of forming the reconstructive structure includes superimposing the planar layers of the intestinal submucosa tissue, securing the layers to form a multi-layered structure and cutting the resulting multi-layered structure to the desired shape.

Claims

1. A tissue graft construct for the replacement or repair of a cartilaginous structure, said tissue graft construct comprising:

about 50 to about 300 layers of intestinal submucosa superimposed and secured together to form a multi-layered construct having a thickness of about 4 to about 12 millimeters, said multi-layered construct being cut and sculptured to the desired three dimensional anatomical shape of the cartilaginous structure to be replaced or repaired.

2. The tissue graft construct of claim 1, wherein the tissue graft construct comprises about 50 to about 200 layers.

3. The tissue graft construct of claim 1, wherein the layers are compressed while the layers are secured.

4. The tissue graft construct of claim 1, wherein said multi-layered construct has a thickness of about 4 to about 8 millimeters and is cut and sculptured in the shape of a meniscus.

5. The tissue graft construct of claim 1, wherein said multi-layered construct has a thickness of about 5 to about 12 millimeters and is cut and sculptured in the shape of an intervertebral disc.