Breast implant with internal flow dampening
First Claim
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1. An implantable breast prosthesis, comprising:
- a soft, flexible outer membrane comprising a convex anterior wall and a flat posterior wall, the membrane having a volume, a maximum height, and a maximum diameter of the posterior wall;
a flowable substance contained within the membrane and configured to flow within the membrane, wherein the flowable substance comprises saline or water; and
an open cell structure positioned inside the membrane, the open cell structure being filled with the flowable substance so that the open cell structure dampens motion of the flowable substance within the membrane,wherein the open cell structure has a natural, unbiased shape when not positioned inside the membrane, the natural, unbiased shape being larger than the membrane,the membrane holding the open cell structure in a compressed state when the open cell structure is positioned inside the membrane, the compressed state being smaller than the natural, unbiased shape, andwherein the open cell structure has a volume in its natural, unbiased shape that is 5% to 20% larger than the volume of the membrane, andwherein the natural, unbiased shape of the open cell structure has at least one of (1) a height which is 5% to 20% larger than the maximum height of the membrane and (2) a diameter which is 5% to 20% larder than the maximum diameter of the posterior wall.
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Abstract
An implantable prosthesis is provided having a membrane which holds a flowable substance. The membrane is separated into a first chamber and a second chamber with the first and second chambers being fluidly coupled via an orifice. The orifice has a size which may be adjusted by the user after implanting the prosthesis into the patient.
226 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An implantable breast prosthesis, comprising:
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a soft, flexible outer membrane comprising a convex anterior wall and a flat posterior wall, the membrane having a volume, a maximum height, and a maximum diameter of the posterior wall; a flowable substance contained within the membrane and configured to flow within the membrane, wherein the flowable substance comprises saline or water; and an open cell structure positioned inside the membrane, the open cell structure being filled with the flowable substance so that the open cell structure dampens motion of the flowable substance within the membrane, wherein the open cell structure has a natural, unbiased shape when not positioned inside the membrane, the natural, unbiased shape being larger than the membrane, the membrane holding the open cell structure in a compressed state when the open cell structure is positioned inside the membrane, the compressed state being smaller than the natural, unbiased shape, and wherein the open cell structure has a volume in its natural, unbiased shape that is 5% to 20% larger than the volume of the membrane, and wherein the natural, unbiased shape of the open cell structure has at least one of (1) a height which is 5% to 20% larger than the maximum height of the membrane and (2) a diameter which is 5% to 20% larder than the maximum diameter of the posterior wall. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An implantable prosthesis, comprising:
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a soft, flexible outer membrane, the membrane having a volume, a maximum height, an outer surface, a posterior wall, an anterior wall, and a waist, the waist being an outer ring portion of the membrane which is positioned between the anterior wall and the posterior wall when the membrane is supported by the posterior wall, the membrane having a maximum diameter at the waist when the membrane is supported by the posterior wall; a flowable substance contained within the membrane and configured to flow within the membrane, wherein the flowable substance comprises saline or water; an open cell structure positioned inside the membrane, the open cell structure being filled with the flowable substance so that the open cell structure dampens motion of the flowable substance within the membrane; and a cover material, the cover material extending over the waist of the membrane and being made of expanded PTFE, wherein at least 80 percent of the expanded PTFE is positioned no more than one centimeter from the waist of the membrane; wherein the open cell structure has a natural, unbiased shape when not positioned inside the membrane, the natural, unbiased shape being larger than the membrane, the membrane holding the open cell structure in a compressed state when the open cell structure is positioned inside the membrane, the compressed state being smaller than the natural, unbiased shape, and wherein the open cell structure has a volume in its natural, unbiased shape that is 5% to 20% larger than the volume of the membrane, and wherein the natural, unbiased shape of the open cell structure has at least one of (1) a height which is 5% to 20% larger than the maximum height of the membrane and (2) a diameter which is 5% to 20% larder than a maximum outer diameter of the posterior wall.
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Specification