Bodily implant with tension indicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9808330-B2
Application number	US-201213598128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2012
Priority date	Sep 2, 2011
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A bodily implant is provided to support body tissues of a patient. The bodily implant includes a strip having a first portion and a second portion. The strip is configured to be stretched in a manner such that the second portion is stretched from a first length to a second length. The second portion of the strip is configured to maintain the second length. The strip is further configured to be disposed proximate to the patient's body tissues.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bodily implant comprising:
a strip having a first portion and a second portion, the second portion being formed of a material having a different property than the first portion, the material of the second portion being configured to be stretched such that the second portion is lengthened from a first length to a second length, the material of the second portion of the strip being configured to maintain the second length, and
the strip being configured to be disposed proximate to body tissues of a patient to support the body tissues,
wherein the second portion includes a first layer of material and a second layer of material, the first layer of material and the second layer of material having substantially the same length, the first layer of material being configured to develop micro-fractures when the second portion is stretched to the second length such that a portion of the second layer of material is exposed through the micro-fractures, the first layer of material being constructed from a different material than the second layer of material,
wherein the micro-fractures include openings through a thickness of the first layer of material when the second portion is stretched to the second length, the first layer of material being configured to develop additional openings when the second portion is stretched to a third length, the third length being greater than the second length.

2. The bodily implant of claim 1 , wherein the strip includes a mesh.

3. The bodily implant of claim 2 , wherein the mesh is made of a polymer material, the polymer material including at least one of polyolefin and silicone rubber.

4. The bodily implant of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first anchor and a second anchor disposed at opposite ends of the strip, wherein the first and second anchors are configured to help retain the strip in place within the patient.

5. The bodily implant of claim 1 , wherein the second portion is biconcave with a first curvature at the first length and a second curvature at the second length, the second curvature being less than the first curvature.

6. The bodily implant of claim 1 , wherein the second portion is disposed adjacent and in between the first portion and an end portion of the strip.

7. The bodily implant of claim 1 , wherein the second portion is disposed at a location apart from ends of the strip.

8. The bodily implant of claim 1 , wherein the first layer of material and the second layer of material have the same length.

9. A bodily implant comprising:
a mesh having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a first stretching threshold such that the first portion is configured to begin to stretch when a tensile force is applied to the mesh that exceeds the first stretching threshold, the second portion having a second stretching threshold such that the second portion is configured to begin to stretch when a tensile force is applied to the mesh that exceeds the second stretching threshold, the second stretching threshold being lower than the first stretching threshold, the second portion being configured to be stretched from a first length to a second length without the first portion being stretched, the second portion of the mesh being configured to maintain the second length,
the mesh being configured to be disposed proximate to body tissues of a patient to support the body tissues,
wherein the second portion of the mesh includes a top layer of material and a bottom layer of material, the top layer of material and the bottom layer of material extending parallel to each other, the top layer of material and the bottom layer of material having the same length, the top layer of material being configured to develop a plurality of micro-fractures when the second portion is stretched to the second length such that a portion of the bottom layer of material is uncovered by the plurality of micro-fractures, the top layer of material being constructed from a different material than the bottom layer of material,
wherein the second portion has a different mesh pattern than the first portion.

10. The bodily implant of claim 9 , wherein the second portion includes a concave portion on a first side of the second portion and a concave portion on a second side of the second portion.

11. The bodily implant of claim 9 , wherein the second portion includes a polymer material, the polymer material being one of polyolefin and silicone rubber.

12. The bodily implant of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first anchor and a second anchor disposed at opposite ends of the mesh, wherein the first and second anchors are configured to help retain the mesh in place within the patient.

13. The bodily implant of claim 9 , wherein the bottom layer of material of the second portion includes a visual indicator that is exposed through the plurality of micro-fractures when the second portion is being stretched to the second length.

14. The bodily implant of claim 9 , wherein the bottom layer of material is a different color than the top layer of material.

15. A method for implantation of a bodily implant, the method comprising:
inserting the bodily implant into a body of a patient, the bodily implant including a strip that has a first mesh portion and a second mesh portion, the second mesh portion being formed of a material having a different property than the first mesh portion, the second mesh portion including a first layer of material and a second layer of material, the first layer of material and the second layer of material extending parallel to each other, the first layer of material and the second layer of material having the same length;
stretching the bodily implant such that the material of the second mesh portion is stretched from a first length to a second length and the second mesh portion maintains the second length, the first layer of material developing micro-fractures when the second mesh portion is stretched to the second length such that a portion of the second layer of material is exposed through the micro-fractures, the micro-fractures including openings through a thickness of the first layer of material when the second mesh portion is stretched to the second length; and
stretching the bodily implant such that the material of the second mesh portion is stretched to a third length, the first layer of material developing additional openings when the second mesh portion is stretched to the third length, the third length being greater than the second length.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first and second mesh portions are synthetic.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
disposing a first anchor and a second anchor at opposite ends of the strip, wherein the first and second anchors are configured to help retain the bodily implant in place within the patient.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein, when the second mesh portion is stretched to the second length, the first layer of material creates the micro-fractures while keeping the first layer of material substantially intact.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first mesh portion has a first stretching threshold such that the material of the first mesh portion begins to stretch when a first tensile force is applied to the bodily implant that exceeds the first stretching threshold, the second mesh portion having a second stretching threshold such that the material of the second mesh portion begins to stretch when a second tensile force is applied to the bodily implant that exceeds the second stretching threshold, th

Assignees

• Intoccia Jr Alfred P
• Harrah Timothy P
• Boston Scient Scimed Inc

Inventors

• Intoccia Jr Alfred P
• Harrah Timothy P

Classifications

• A61F2/0077

  Special surfaces of prostheses, e.g. for improving ingrowth (A61F2/30767 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61F2250/0048

  differing in mechanical expandability, e.g. in mechanical, self- or balloon expandability · CPC title

• A61F2250/0018

  differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility · CPC title

• A61F2250/0097

  Visible markings, e.g. indicia · CPC title

• A61F2002/0068

  having a special mesh pattern · CPC title