Tissue repair method

• US 6,652,532 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2001
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bonutti Skeletal Innovations LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Bonutti 2003 Trust A
• Inventors: Bonutti, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US10/005,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20020045903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 128/898, 600/562, 600/565, 606/80
• US Class Current: 606/80
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/025 for taking bone, bone marrow or cartilage samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1615 Drill bits, i.e. rotating tools extending from a handpiece to contact the worked material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1631 Special drive shafts, e.g. flexible shafts A61B17/1642, A61B17/164 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1635 for grafts, harvesting or transplants
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00831 Material properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00969 used for transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/79 Filters for solid matter specially adapted for dental use A61C17/065

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of repairing tissue. In one embodiment, one portion of an implant, which is at least partially formed of a biodegradable material, is connected to another portion of the implant by applying heat to the implant. The implant is positioned relative to a patient'"'"'s body tissue. In another embodiment, graft tissue is enclosed with a biodegradable enclosure having a number of openings. The graft tissue is positioned in the patient'"'"'s body at a location that enables body tissue to grow through the openings in the enclosure.

Claims

1. A method of repairing a patient'"'"'s body tissue, said method comprising the steps of providing an implant which is at least partially formed of a biodegradable material, connecting one portion of the implant to another portion of the implant by applying heat to at least the one portion of the implant, and positioning the implant relative to the patient'"'"'s body tissue.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 herein said step of positioning the implant relative to the patient'"'"'s body tissue includes the step of moving the implant through a cannula.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the step of at least partially enclosing graft body tissue with the implant, said step of positioning the implant relative to the patient'"'"'s body tissue includes positioning the graft body tissue in the patient'"'"'s body at a location which enables the patient'"'"'s body tissue to grow into the graft body tissue.

4. A method of repairing a patient'"'"'s body tissue, said method comprising the steps of enclosing graft body tissue with a biodegradable enclosure in which a plurality of openings are formed, and positioning the graft tissue in the patient'"'"'s body with the graft tissue enclosed by the enclosure at a location which enables the patient'"'"'s body tissue to grow through the openings in the enclosure.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of positioning the graft tissue in the patient'"'"'s body with the graft tissue enclosed by the enclosure includes moving the graft tissue through a cannula into the patient'"'"'s body.

6. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of positioning the graft tissue in the patient'"'"'s body is performed after performing said step of enclosing the graft tissue with a biodegradable enclosure, said step of positioning the graft tissue in the patient'"'"'s body includes moving the graft tissue and the enclosure through a cannula.

7. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of enclosing graft body tissue with a biodegradable enclosure includes applying heat to a portion of the enclosure.