Implantable tissue connector
View Patent ↗An implantable tissue connector ( 1; 1 a ) adapted to be connected to a tubular part of living tissue ( 70; 80 ) within a patient's body ( 100 ) comprises a conduit ( 2 ) and at least one flexible sleeve ( 10 ) adapted to axially extend and closely fit around at least part of the outer surface ( 6 ) of the conduit. The conduit is inserted into the tubular part of living tissue and the flexible sleeve placed over the tubular part of living tissue. Various alternatives are described of how the living tissue may be prevented form slipping off of the conduit.
1. An implantable tissue connector adapted so as to be connectable to a cross-sectional open end portion of a tubular part of living tissue within a patient's body, comprising:
a conduit having at least a first and a second end and further having an outer surface, and
at least one flexible sleeve adapted to axially extend and closely fit around at least part of said outer surface of the conduit,
the flexible sleeve comprising a porous ingrowth layer which allows ingrowth of living tissue, when implanted in the patient's body, and being made from a biocompatible material comprising at least one polymer, and the flexible sleeve further comprising a support layer for supporting said porous ingrowth layer,
said flexible sleeve being tubular and mounted on said outer surface of said conduit so as to be axially foldable upon itself so that at least part of the tubular part of the living tissue can be located intermediate the folded sleeve or intermediate the conduit's outer surface and the flexible sleeve with the support layer being on the exterior and the porous ingrowth layer being on the interior so that the porous ingrowth layer contacts the tubular part of the living tissue, when implanted in a patient's body to hold the implantable tissue connector and the tubular part of the living tissue in place.
2. The tissue connector of claim 1 , wherein the conduit is made from a biocompatible material.
3. The tissue connector of claim 2 , wherein the biocompatible material of the conduit is a material of the following group of materials comprising: titanium, stainless steel, ceramics, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), silicone, polyurethane, polypropylene, other biocompatible polymer material.
4. The tissue connector of claim 1 , wherein the at least one polymer is a polymer of the following group of polymers comprising: polytetrafluoroethylene, silicone, polyurethane, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE).
5. The tissue connector of claim 1 , wherein, where the flexible sleeve is mounted on the outer surface of the conduit so as to be foldable upon itself, the flexible sleeve, when folded upon itself, will exert radial pressure.
6. The tissue connector of claim 5 , wherein, when implanted in a patient's body with the sleeve folded upon itself, the tissue connector is adapted to exert said radial pressure on the tubular part of living tissue placed intermediate the folded sleeve.
7. The tissue connector of claim 6 , wherein said radial pressure is minimal such that blood circulation in living tubular part of living tissue is not prohibited.
8. The tissue connector of claim 1 , wherein the conduit is less flexible than the flexible sleeve at least in a radial direction so as to provide support to the sleeve against radial forces.
9. The tissue connector of claim 1 , wherein the ingrowth layer has a net-like structure.
10. The tissue connector of claim 1 , wherein the support layer is made from expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) or polyurethane.
11. The tissue connector of claim 1 , wherein, where the flexible sleeve is mounted on the outer surface of the conduit so as to be foldable upon itself, the ingrowth layer will be located between portions of the support layer when the sleeve is folded upon itself.
12. The tissue connector of claim 1 , wherein the conduit and the flexible sleeve are fixedly connected to each other along an axially extending portion of the sleeve.
13. The tissue connector of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible sleeve is located proximately to said first end of the conduit.
14. The tissue connector of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the conduit has a free end portion and tapers towards the edge of said free end portion.
15. The tissue connector of claim 1 , wherein said second end of the conduit is adapted for connecting the tissue connector to at least one of the following items: an implantable reservoir, an implantable pump, an implantable motor, an implantable medical device, a biological transplant.
16. The tissue connector of claim 1 , wherein between the first and second ends of the conduit or connected to the second end of the conduit, there is provided at least one of the following items: a reservoir, a pump, a motor, a medical device, a flow restrictor.