A prosthesis for implantation in the human body to fill a cavity left by the removal of a portion of the anatomy or to change an existing body contour. The prosthesis has fixation means around which tissue will grow so as to hold the prosthesis in place. An optional flexible, inelastic loop provides temporary fixation until the tissue has grown around the fixation means. The fixation means can be made of a silicon elastomer, which is compatible with tissue. The fixation means may, for example, take the form of a perforated sheet-like body spaced from the exterior wall of the prothesis, or of a button-like body held by a stem to the exterior wall, or of a pair of overhanging flanges which form a key slot relative to the exterior wall.
An implantable tissue expansion device with an external surface layer of silicon elastomer, at least a portion of which contains a texture or open cell sturcture. The textured surface is expected to decrease subsequent capsular contracture and provide a non-skid surface to hold the device in position and permit differential expansion.
The breast implant is tailor-made for a patient and comprises an envelope, which is made in particular of silicone elastomer and inside which a filler product 15 is arranged, and also a securing element 3 disposed on the envelope 2 and intended to be connected to a support element 5, said support element 5 being fixed substantially in the area of the axilla or on the greater pectoral muscle of the patient.
This invention relates to a mammary prosthesis and a method of implanting same. The prosthesis comprises a flexible backing and a soft front envelope, for example, of the inflatable or prefilled type. The flexible backing defines, at least one internal passageway or compartment into which rigidifying material may be forced or emplaced. Upon setting of the rigidifying material in the passageways or compartments, the backing loses a substantial part, if not all, of its flexibility. The rigidified backing thereafter prevents the contracture of natural fibrous tissues generated around the front envelope and backing in a way to prevent hardening of the prosthesis and/or palpable prosthesis edges prevalent with prior art devices.
An implantable breast prosthesis including a flexible container formed from a medical grade of silicone elastomer, a self-sealing valve provided on the inside surface of the container, the valve being formed of a self-sealing gel and including sufficient barium sulfate, bismuth subcarbonate or tantalum powder so that the valve is radiopaque for easy location after implanting in the body, and an injection assembly for inflating the container with a fluid after implantation in the body, said assembly including a catheter for penetrating the valve and a syringe for injecting into or removing fluid from the container through the catheter, the fluid comprising either a saline solution or a gel. The self-sealing gel can also be used as a valve for a catheter or in a fistula for hemodialysis.
A porous mesh for use in forming articles comprising a network of pores and protrusions. The porous mesh has a specifically delineated mesh structure having a pore/protrusion size between 25 and 1000 microns and the pore structure is based on a uniform distribution of pores and protrusions on a cast or molded sheet wherein said pores and protrusions have similar effective diameters. The resulting material is advantageously applied to several bio-medical applications, including reconstructive surgery and arterial replacement
