Self-sealing shell for inflatable prostheses

• US 8,377,127 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allergan, Inc. (Canada) (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Allergan, Inc. (Canada) (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schuessler, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US12/543,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20100049317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 623 7- 8
• US Class Current: 623/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/02 Devices for expanding tissue, e.g. skin tissue implements for holding wounds open, surgical tractors A61B17/02; implantable mammary prosthesis A61F2/12; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/12 Mammary prostheses and implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0061 swellable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0003 having an inflatable pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid or gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/003 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0036 Intragastrical devices
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/003 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/06 about two or more axes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/16 Auto-repairing or self-sealing arrangements or agents incorporating auto-repairing or self-sealing arrangements or agents on or into tyres B29D30/0685
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/163 Sealing compositions or agents, e.g. combined with propellant agents
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/18 the article material itself being self-sealing, e.g. by compression
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/20 the article material only consisting in part of a deformable sealing material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/22 the article containing elements including a sealing composition, e.g. powder being liberated when the article is damaged
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0062 water-soluble
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7532 Artificial members, protheses

Abstract

A self-sealing shell useful as a component of a soft fluid-filled prosthetic implant is provided. The shell is at least partly constructed of a wall made of a colloid of an elastomeric polymer matrix and particles of a water-soluble material distributed therein.

Claims

1. A shell for an inflatable mammary implant, the shell comprising:

an inflatable envelope at least a portion of which comprises a wall comprising a mixture of a polymeric elastomer component and solid, water soluble salt particles dispersed throughout and occupying enclosed spaces in the polymeric elastomer component;

wherein, when the wall is contacted with an aqueous fluid, the water soluble salt particles at least partially dissolve and cause expansion of the enclosed spaces such that the wall becomes self-sealing to a needle puncture.

2. The shell of claim 1 wherein the wall is not self sealing when it is in a dry state.

3. The shell of claim 1 wherein the particles comprise sodium chloride salt particles.

4. The shell of claim 1 wherein the particles comprise salt particles having a size of between about 50 microns to about 1000 microns.

5. The shell of claim 1 wherein the particles comprise salt particles having a size of between about 200 microns to about 350 microns.

6. The shell of claim 1 wherein the water soluble particles make up about 2% by weight of the mixture.

7. The shell of claim 1 wherein the water soluble particles make up between about 2% to about 20% by weight of the mixture.

8. The shell of claim 1 in the form of one of a tissue expander.

9. The shell of claim 1 in the form of a mammary prosthesis.