Mastopexy stabilization apparatus and method

• US 7,081,135 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2004
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Evan Farr Smith, Lane Fielding Smith
• Original Assignee: Evan Farr Smith, Lane Fielding Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Evan Farr, Smith, Lane Fielding
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/771,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20040249457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 623/11.11, 623/7, 623/8, 623/5.15, 623/10, 623/14.13, 623/23.64, 623/23.65, 623/23.67, 606/151, 606/153, 606/191, 606/195
• US Class Current: 623/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/12 Mammary prostheses and implants

Abstract

An apparatus and method for mastopexy surgeries correcting a ptosis condition caused by tissue stretching, in the breast as a result of pregnancy, time, aging, and the effects of gravity and athletic activity provide an implant having homogeneously formed connectors extending from inside an implant wall for anchoring to the chest wall or chest muscles of a patient. Embedded reinforcements and anchoring tabs or sutures may be readily oriented along a rib or other defining physiological location in order to provide immediate, permanent, and symmetric installation of implants in a mastopexy reconstruction.

Claims

1. An apparatus for mastopexy with augmentation, the apparatus comprising:

a vessel of an elastomeric material shaped as an outer covering of predetermined form and size to provide augmentation in a mastopexy procedure;

a filler to maintain a volume of the vessel;

the vessel, further comprising a back wall forming a surface for contact with tissue posterior thereto;

a plurality of anchors, each anchor comprising a suture embedded within and to extend along the back wall and terminating at a first end spaced away from the back wall; and

a surgical needle connected to draw the first end of at least one anchor of the plurality of anchors.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filler is selected from the group consisting of water, saline, silicone, silicone gel, sugar, hydrogel, and a combination of two or more thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a protective covering surrounding the surgical needle to resist inadvertent puncture of the vessel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a reinforced polymer, an expanded polymer, and a combination of at least two thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the elastomeric material is a polymer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the polymer is a silicone compound.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the silicone compound is dimethylsiloxane.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the back wall comprises at least one embedded fiber.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least two embedded fibers cross one another.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least two fibers cross at substantially a right angle.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least two fibers cross at an acute angle.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one embedded fiber runs in substantially a superior-inferior direction.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one embedded fiber runs in a substantially medial-lateral direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one embedded fiber extends diagonally with respect to a medial-lateral direction and a superior-inferior direction.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of anchors comprises a first anchor extending substantially radially from the back wall in the direction of about the ten o'"'"'clock position and a second anchor extending substantially radially from the back wall in the direction of at about the two o'"'"'clock position.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the back wall is substantially circular and absent tabs extending outwardly therefrom.

17. An apparatus for mastopexy with augmentation, the apparatus comprising:

a vessel of an elastomeric material of predetermined form and size to provide augmentation in a mastopexy procedure, the vessel including a back wall for contact with tissue posterior thereto;

a filler to maintain a volume of the vessel;

a plurality of anchors, each anchor thereof comprising a suture embedded within the back wall and terminating at a first end extending outwardly from the back wall of the vessel; and

a surgical needle connected to draw the first end of at least one anchor of the plurality of anchors.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the back wall is substantially circular and absent protrusions thereof extending outwardly.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a protective covering surrounding the surgical needle to resist inadvertent puncture of the vessel.

18. An apparatus for mastopexy with augmentation, the apparatus comprising:

a vessel comprising at least one wall formed of an elastomeric material to support augmentation through a mastopexy procedure;

a filler placed within the vessel to maintain a volume thereof; and

a plurality of sutures securing to the vessel substantially exclusively through embedment within the at least one wall and terminating at respective first ends extending outwardly from the at least one wall.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the back wall is substantially circular, without tabs extending outwardly therefrom.