Non-rotating breast implant

• US 7,105,116 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Howard T. Bellin
• Original Assignee: Howard T. Bellin
• Inventors: Bellin, Howard T., Kredovski, Kenneth C., Campbell, Ruairidh W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ORTIZ, ANGELA Y
• Application Number:
  US10/462,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20030205846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 623/8, 264/299, 264/301, 264/302, 264/303, 264/305, 264/306, 264/307, 264/308, 264/250, 264/254, 264/255, 264/256, 264/131, 264/135, 264/236, 264/347, 427/2.24
• US Class Current: 264/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0077 Special surfaces of prostheses, e.g. for improving ingrowth A61F2/30767 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/12 Mammary prostheses and implants
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/001 Shaping in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/0053 Moulding articles characterised by the shape of the surface, e.g. ribs, high polish mould construction therefor B29C33/42; surface shaping of articles B29C59/00; by incorporating filler in or near the surface B29C70/64
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/14 Dipping a core B29C41/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7532 Artificial members, protheses

Abstract

A non-rotating anatomical-shaped breast implant having a front side with a smooth surface and a rear side with a textured surface. A smooth surface ripples or wrinkles little, if at all. Rippling or wrinkling of the implant may undesirably produce a visible or palpable waviness on the skin of the breast. A smooth surface is more likely to produce the look and feel of a natural breast. A rear side with a textured surface is desirable because tissue growth of the body, after the implant has been implanted, engages the textured surface to anchor the implant in place such that the front side with the smooth surface remains matched with the front side of the body and such that the anatomical-shaped breast implant with its tear drop shaped fullness remains at a natural position within the breast. The disclosure further includes a method for minimizing the rotation of an implant within the body and a method for making an implant envelope that has different thicknesses.

Claims

1. A method of making an implant envelope, comprising the steps of:

a) selecting a mandrel;

b) selecting a dispersion into which the mandrel is dipped;

c) fully submerging the mandrel in the dispersion, withdrawing the mandrel from the dispersion and thereby picking up a first envelope layer on the mandrel, and permitting the first envelope layer to at least partially stabilize; and

d) partially submerging the mandrel in the dispersion, withdrawing the mandrel from the dispersion and thereby picking up a second envelope layer on the mandrel and permitting the second envelope layer to at least partially stabilize, such that a first envelope coating of a first thickness is disposed over one portion of the mandrel and a second an envelope coating of a second thickness is disposed over another portion of the mandrel and wherein the first and second envelope coatings form the implant envelope.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of fully submerging the mandrel occurs prior to the step of partially submerging the mandrel.

3. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

e) curing the first envelope layer between the steps of fully submerging the mandrel and partially submerging the mandrel; and

f) curing the second envelope layer after the step of partially submerging the mandrel.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of partially submerging the mandrel occurs prior to the step of fully submerging the mandrel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the implant envelope comprises a breast implant envelope having an anterior side, posterior side, superior pole, inferior pole and a nipple position, with the nipple position being on the anterior side near the inferior pole, wherein the anterior side has a first thickness, wherein the posterior side has a second thickness, wherein the first thickness of the anterior side is less than the second thickness of the posterior side, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

c-1) dipping the mandrel into a fluid to pick up material for only one of the anterior and posterior sides of the envelope; and

d-1) dipping the mandrel into the fluid to pick up material for the other of the anterior and posterior sides of the envelope.

6. The method of claim 5, and further comprising the steps of:

c) performing step “

c-1”

) before step “

d-1”

).

7. The method of claim 5, and further comprising the steps of:

c) performing step “

d-1”

) before step “

c-1”

).

8. A method of claim 1 and further comprising the steps of:

g) bringing a granulate into contact with a portion of at least one of the at least partially a stabilized envelope layers;

then

h) curing the envelope layer having granulate thereon; and

then

i) removing the granulate to expose texture on the envelope layer.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein a portion of one of the first and second envelope layers is brought into contact with relatively coarse granules and wherein a portion of the other of the first and second envelope layers is brought into contact with relatively fine granules.