BREAST IMPLANT WITH ADJUSTABLE COMPRESSION RESPONSE
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.
1 . An implantable prosthesis, comprising:
a soft, flexible outer membrane, the membrane having a first chamber and a second chamber;
a flowable substance contained within the membrane;
an adjustable flow restricting orifice which fluidly couples the first chamber to the second chamber, the adjustable flow restricting orifice having a control element which permits the user to change a size of the orifice thereby altering a flow resistance between the first and second chambers.
2 . The prosthesis of claim 1 , wherein the orifice includes an inflatable structure and the control element is configured to deliver a fluid to the inflatable structure.
3 . The prosthesis of claim 2 , wherein the membrane has a posterior wall and an anterior wall; the orifice being positioned on an interconnecting wall which extends between the posterior wall and the anterior wall of the membrane thereby separating the first and second chambers.
4 . The prosthesis of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of orifices, wherein the size of each of the orifices may be adjusted with the control element.
5 . The prosthesis of claim 1 , wherein the control element is configured to extend out of the patient when the membrane has been implanted into a patient so that the size of the orifice may be altered after the membrane has been implanted into the patient.
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