Reinforcement implants for tissue sutures

• US 6,962,594 B1
• Filed: 04/20/1999
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fabrice Thevenet
• Original Assignee: Fabrice Thevenet
• Inventors: Thevenet, Fabrice
• Primary Examiner(s): Milano, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US09/674,275
• Time in Patent Office: 2,394 Days
• Field of Search: 606/232, 606/233, 606/151, 604/367, 604/374, 604/375, 227/175.1
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07292 Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/042 Polysaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/148 Materials at least partially resorbable by the body
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/04 Oxycellulose; Hydrocellulose , e.g. microcrystalline cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 5/04 Alginic acid; Derivatives thereof

Abstract

The invention concerns a reinforcing implant for tissue sutures used for mechanically reinforcing stitched tissue zones, and consisting of a textile lap based on polyuronic acid or one of its salts

Claims

1. A reinforcement implant for air and fluid leak proof surgical sutures, to be used inside human and animal bodies, said implant comprising:

a strip made of fibrous or filamentous textile material made with polyuronic acid, or the salts thereof, and

an impregnating element of said textile material comprising an ester of polyuronic acid in aqueous solution.

2. The reinforcement implant according to claim 1, wherein the strip is made of woven material.

3. The reinforcement implant according to claim 1, wherein the strip is made of knitted material.

4. The reinforcement implant according to claim 1, wherein the polyuronic acid is oxidized cellulose.

5. The reinforcement implant according to claim 1, wherein the polyuronic acid is calcium alginate.

6. The reinforcement implant according to claim 5, wherein said calcium alginate is a salt extracted from an algae.

7. The reinforcement implant according to claim 1, wherein the ester of polyuronic acid is a sodium alginate ester.

8. A reinforcement implant for air and fluid leak proof surgical sutures, to be used inside human and animal bodies, said implant comprising:

a sleeve made of fibrous or filamentous textile material made with polyuronic acid, or from the salts thereof, and

an impregnating element of said textile material comprising an ester of polyuronic acid in aqueous solution wherein said implant is biologically resorbable.

9. The reinforcement implant according to claim 8, wherein the sleeve is made of woven material.

10. The reinforcement implant according to claim 8, wherein the filamentous textile material is a knitted material.

11. The reinforcement implant according to claim 8, wherein the sleeve is in the form of a parallelipiped.

12. A method of manufacturing a reinforcement implant, for air and fluid leak proof surgical sutures, comprising the steps of:

after textilizing calcium alginate for obtaining a knitted or woven fabric of filamentous material of said alginate,

cutting said knitted or woven fabric into implants of predetermined shapes and dimensions,

impregnating said implants by soaking said implants within an aqueous solution of an ester of polyuronic acid or of the salts thereof, and

drying said implants in a sterile atmosphere.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said impregnation is provided in an aqueous solution of sodium alginate ester.

14. A method of placing a leak proof reinforcement implant within a human or an animal body, said implant having a sleeve shape and being made of sleeve of knitted or woven fabric of filamentous material made with polyuronic acid impregnated with an ester of polyuronic acid in aqueous solution, said method comprising the steps of:

pinching said sleeve with a pair of suturing forceps, said pair of suturing forceps having two branches,

placing said sleeve upon the part of the human or animal body to be reinforced and stapling said implant on said part of the human body.

15. A reinforcement implant for air and fluid leak proof surgical sutures, to be used inside human and animal bodies, said implant consisting of:

a strip, sheath or sleeve made of fibrous or filamentous textile material based on polyuronic acid or the salts thereof, and

said strip, sheath or sleeve being impregnated with an aqueous solution of an ester of polyuronic acid.

16. A reinforcement implant for air and fluid leak proof surgical sutures to be used inside human and animal bodies, said implant comprising:

a strip, sheath or sleeve made of fibrous or filamentous textile material made from polyuronic acid, or from the salts thereof, and

an impregnating element of said textile material comprising an ester of polyuronic acid in aqueous solution.