Breast prosthesis

• US 6,916,339 B1
• Filed: 05/29/2000
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arnaud Rochebiliere, Marie-Christine Missana
• Original Assignee: Arnaud Rochebiliere, Marie-Christine Missana
• Inventors: Rochebiliere, Arnaud, Missana, Marie-Christine
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David J.
• Application Number:
  US09/980,120
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 623/7, 623/8, 623/11.11, 623/23.64
• US Class Current: 623/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/12 Mammary prostheses and implants

Abstract

The invention concerns an implantable breast prosthesis comprising a soft pouch capable of a containing filler substance such as a physiological serum or a silicone gel and which is made side-specific, so as to satisfy aesthetic requirements and for better matching the convexity of the thorax.

Claims

1. An implantable breast prosthesis which is specific to either a right breast side or a left breast side of a patient, the prosthesis comprising:

a soft pouch adapted to contain a filling material;

the soft pouch comprising a posterior surface, an anterior surface, an inner zone and an outer zone; and

the posterior surface and the anterior surface forming an angle β

in the inner zone of less than 70 degrees when the soft pouch is implanted and filled with the filling material,

wherein the soft pouch is specific to either the right breast side or the left breast side of the patient.

2. The prosthesis claim 1, wherein the filling material comprises one of a silicone gel and a physiological serum.

3. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the soft pouch is asymmetrical in relation to a plane which passes through an upper zone of the soft pouch, a nipple area of the soft pouch and a lower zone of the soft pouch, when the soft pouch is implanted in the patient and filled.

4. The prosthesis of claim 3, wherein the asymmetry is defined by a difference in dimensions between a first distance and a second distance defined by a plane passing through the inner zone, the nipple area and the outer zone, whereby the plane passing through the inner zone, the nipple area and the outer zone is perpendicular to a plane passing through the upper zone, the nipple area and the lower zone.

5. The prosthesis of claim 4, wherein the first distance is different from the second distance.

6. The prosthesis of claim 4, wherein the first distance is defined between an edge of the inner zone and a point in the nipple area and wherein the second distance is defined between an edge of the outer zone and the point in the nipple area.

7. The prosthesis of claim 6, wherein a ratio r of the second distance to the first distance is less than or equal to 0.95.

8. The prosthesis of claim 7, wherein the ratio r is in the range of between 0.8 and 0.9.

9. The prosthesis of claim 8, wherein the ratio r is in the range of between 0.85 and 0.9.

10. The prosthesis of claim 9, wherein the ratio r is about 0.875.

11. The prosthesis of claim 4, wherein the soft pouch further comprises a rear outer zone adjacent the outer zone, and wherein the plane passes through the inner zone, the nipple area, the outer zone and the rear outer zone.

12. The prosthesis of claim 11, further comprising a third distance being defined between an edge of the rear outer zone and a point in the nipple area, whereby the first distance is defined between the point in the nipple area and an edge of the inner zone, the first distance and the third distance being at least one of equal to each other and very close to each other.

13. The prosthesis of claim 3, wherein the asymmetry is defined by a difference in dimensions between a fourth distance and a fifth distance defined by a plane passing through the upper zone, the nipple area and the lower zone, whereby the plane passing through the upper zone, the nipple area and the lower zone is perpendicular to a plane passing through the inner zone, the nipple area and the outer zone.

14. The prosthesis of claim 13, wherein the fourth distance is different from the fifth distance.

15. The prosthesis of claim 13, wherein the fourth distance is defined between an edge of the upper zone and a point in the nipple area and wherein the fifth distance is defined between an edge of the lower zone and the point in the nipple area.

16. The prosthesis of claim 15, wherein the fourth distance is greater than the fifth distance.

17. The prosthesis of claim 16, wherein a ratio r of the fourth distance to the fifth distance is at least 1.1.

18. The prosthesis of claim 17, wherein the ratio r is in the range of between 1.1 and 2.

19. The prosthesis of claim 18, wherein the ratio r is in the range of between 1.3 and 1.5.

20. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the soft pouch further comprises an outer overlap portion in an area of the outer zone, when the soft pouch is implanted in the patient and filled.

21. The prosthesis of claim 20, wherein the outer overlap portion extends to each of the upper zone and the lower zone.

22. The prosthesis of claim 20, wherein the outer overlap portion comprises an anterior surface which forms an obtuse angle φ

relative to the posterior surface.

23. The prosthesis of claim 22, wherein the angle φ

is greater than 95 degrees.

24. The prosthesis of claim 23, wherein the angle φ

is greater than 100 degrees.

25. The prosthesis of claim 20, wherein the angle φ

is in the range of between 91 degrees and 120 degrees.

26. The prosthesis of claim 25, wherein the angle φ

is 115 degrees.

27. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the posterior surface is at least one of concave and curved.

28. The prosthesis of claim 27, wherein the posterior surface is at least one of concave and curved between an edge of the inner zone and an edge of the outer zone.

29. The prosthesis of claim 27, wherein the posterior surface is at least one of concave and curved at least in an area of the inner zone.

30. The prosthesis of claim 27, wherein a distance between a plane extending through an edge of the inner zone and an edge of the outer zone and a parallel plane extending through a point on the posterior surface that is farthest away from the plane extending through the edge of the inner zone and the edge of the outer zone is at least 5 mm.

31. The prosthesis of claim 25, wherein a distance between a plane extending through an edge of the inner zone and an edge of the outer zone and a parallel plane extending through a point on the posterior surface that is farthest away from the plane extending through the edge of the inner zone and the edge of the outer zone is at least 1 cm.

32. The prosthesis of claim 27, wherein the posterior surface is at least one of concave and curved between an edge of an upper zone and an edge of a lower zone.

33. The prosthesis of claim 27, wherein the posterior surface is at least one of concave and curved at least in an area of an upper zone.

34. The prosthesis of claim 27, wherein a distance between a plane extending through an edge of an upper zone and an edge of a lower zone and a parallel plane extending through a point on the posterior surface that is farthest away from the plane extending through the edge of the upper zone and the edge of the lower zone is at least 1 mm.

35. The prosthesis of claim 27, wherein a distance between a plane extending through an edge of an upper zone and an edge of a lower zone and a parallel plane extending through a point on the posterior surface that is farthest away from the plane extending through the edge of the upper zone and the edge of the lower zone is at least 2 mm.

36. The prosthesis of claim 27, wherein a distance between a plane extending through an edge of an upper zone and an edge of a lower zone and a parallel plane extending through a point on the posterior surface that is farthest away from the plane extending through the edge of the upper zone and the edge of the lower zone is in the range of between 3 mm and 6 mm.

37. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the anterior surface is at least one of curved and convex.

38. The prosthesis of claim 37, wherein a distance between a plane extending through an edge of an upper zone and an edge of a lower zone and a parallel plane extending through a point on the anterior surface that is farthest away from the plane extending through the edge of the upper zone and the edge of the lower zone is in the range of between 3 cm and 7 cm.

39. The prosthesis of claim 37, wherein a distance between a plane extending through an edge of an upper zone and an edge of a lower zone and a parallel plane extending through a point on the anterior surface that is farthest away from the plane extending through the edge of the upper zone and the edge of the lower zone is on the order of 5 cm.

40. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the posterior surface is one of less deformable and more rigid than another portion of the soft pouch.

41. The prosthesis of claim 40, wherein the portion of the posterior surface that is one of less deformable and more rigid than another portion of the soft pouch has a thicker surface than the other portion of the soft pouch.

42. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the posterior surface and the anterior surface form an angle δ

in an upper zone of less than 70 degrees when the soft pouch is implanted and filled with the filling material.

43. The prosthesis of claim 42, wherein the angle δ

is less than 65 degrees.

44. The prosthesis of claim 43, wherein the angle δ

is less than 60 degrees.

45. The prosthesis of claim 44, wherein the angle δ

is about 40 degrees.

46. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the angle β

is less than 65 degrees.

47. The prosthesis of claim 46, wherein the angle β

is less than 60 degrees.

48. The prosthesis of claim 47, wherein the angle β

is about 40 degrees.

49. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the soft pouch comprises an elastomer.

50. The prosthesis of claim 49, wherein the elastomer comprises silicone.

51. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the soft pouch is adapted to be filled with the filling material either before or after being implanted into the patient.

52. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the implantable breast prosthesis comprises an expansion prosthesis.

53. An implantable breast prosthesis which is specific to either a right breast side or a left breast side of a patient, the prosthesis comprising:

a soft pouch adapted to contain a filling material;

the soft pouch comprising a concave posterior surface, a convex anterior surface, an inner zone, an outer zone, an upper zone and a lower zone;

the posterior surface and the anterior surface forming an angle β

in the inner zone of less than 70 degrees when the soft pouch is implanted and filled with the filling material; and

the posterior surface and the anterior surface forming an angle δ

in the upper zone of less than 70 degrees when the soft pouch is implanted and filled with the filling material,

wherein the soft pouch is specific to either the right breast side or the left breast side of the patient.

54. An implantable breast prosthesis which is specific to either a right breast side or a left breast side of a patient, the prosthesis comprising:

a soft pouch adapted to contain a filling material;

the soft pouch comprising a concave posterior surface, a convex anterior surface, an inner zone, an outer zone, an upper zone and a lower zone;

the posterior surface and the anterior surface forming an angle β

in the inner zone of less than 70 degrees when the soft pouch is implanted and filled with the filling material;

the posterior surface and the anterior surface forming an angle δ

in the upper zone of less than 70 degrees when the soft pouch is implanted and filled with the filling material;

a nipple pole zone being defined on each of the posterior surface and the anterior surface;

an axis being defined by a line passing through a point on each of the nipple zones of the posterior surface and the anterior surface, whereby the axis is perpendicular to a plane which extends from an edge of the inner zone to an edge of the outer zone;

an upper outer part of the soft pouch being defined by a first plane extending through the upper zone and the lower zone, a second plane extending through the inner zone and the outer zone, an upper outer portion of the posterior surface and an upper outer portion of the anterior surface, whereby each of the first and second planes are perpendicular to each other;

an upper inner part of the soft pouch being defined by the first plane, the second plane, an upper inner portion of the posterior surface and an upper inner portion of the anterior surface;

a lower outer part of the soft pouch being defined by the first plane, the second plane, a lower outer portion of the posterior surface and a lower outer portion of the anterior surface; and

a lower inner part of the soft pouch being defined by the first plane, the second plane, a lower inner portion of the posterior surface and a lower inner portion of the anterior surface,

wherein each of the upper outer part, the upper inner part, the lower outer part and the lower inner part have different volumes, and wherein the soft pouch is specific to either the right breast side or the left breast side of the patient.