SILK MEDICAL DEVICE FOR USE IN BREAST AUGMENTATION AND BREAST RECONSTRUCTION
A three-dimensional fabric structure in a form of a pocket for use in a breast reconstruction surgical procedure such as single-stage or two-stage breast reconstruction. The silk scaffold employs a knit pattern that substantially prevents unraveling and preserves the stability of the mesh or scaffold device, especially when the mesh or scaffold device is cut. An example scaffold device employs a knitted mesh including at least two yarns laid in a knit direction and engaging each other to define a plurality of nodes.
1 . A three-dimensional fabric structure for use in breast surgery, the structure comprising a silk, knitted seamless mesh in a form of a pocket for insertion and seating of a breast implant or tissue expander.
2 . The structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fabric structure has at least two faces.
3 . The structure according to claim 1 , wherein the faces are of a node-lock construction.
4 . The structure according to claim 1 , wherein the mesh is bioresorbable.
5 . The structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first face is a knitted mesh having a lower stretchability than the second face.
6 . The structure according to claim 1 , wherein the faces are knit with a double needle bed, single needle bed, or tubular knit.
7 . A three-dimensional fabric structure for use in breast surgery, the structure comprising:
a silk knitted mesh having a pocket knit construction and a non-pocket knit construction, and wherein a transition exists between the pocket construction and the non-pocket construction.
8 . The structure according to claim 7 , wherein the non-pocket knit construction is cuttable for shaping.
9 . The structure according to claim 7 , wherein the fabric structure is knit on a warp knit jacquard machine.
10 . The structure according to claim 7 , wherein the faces are of a node-lock construction.
11 . The structure according to claim 7 , wherein the mesh is bioresorbable.
12 . The structure according to claim 7 , wherein the pocket construction has two faces.
13 . The structure according to claim 12 , wherein a first face is a knitted mesh having a lower stretchability than the second face.
14 . The structure according to claim 12 , wherein a second face is a knitted mesh having a higher stretchability than the first face.
15 . The structure according to claim 7 , wherein the faces are knit with a double needle bed, single needle bed, or tubular knit.
16 . A fabric template for use in a breast surgical procedure, the template comprising a silk knitted mesh in a predominantly semi-circular shape having one or more tabs on the circumference of the semicircular shape.
17 . The template according to claim 16 , wherein the tabs correspond to one or more slots in a knitted silk mesh panel for attachment of the semi-circular shaped mesh to the knitted silk mesh panel.
18 . The template according to claim 16 , wherein the semi-circular shaped mesh forms a pocket having two faces upon attachment to the knitted silk mesh panel.
19 . The template according to claim 16 , wherein the faces are of a node-lock construction.
20 . The template according to claim 16 , wherein the mesh is bioresorbable.
21 . The template according to claim 18 , wherein of the faces, a first face is a knitted mesh having a lower stretchability than a second face.
22 . The template according to claim 16 , wherein the faces are knit with a double needle bed, single needle bed, or tubular knit.
23 . A fabric template for use in a breast surgical procedure, the template comprising a pair of silk knitted meshes of predominantly semi-circular shape having one or more tabs on the circumference of each of the semi-circular shaped meshes.
24 . A fabric template for use in a breast surgical procedure, the template comprising a knitted silk mesh having a first panel section and a second panel section, wherein the first panel section has a predominantly round shape and the second panel section has a predominantly semi-circular shape.
25 . The template according to claim 24 , wherein the first panel and the second panel comprise a single knitted mesh.
26 . The template according to claim 24 , wherein the first panel and the second panel are of a node-lock construction.
27 . The template according to claim 24 , wherein the first panel and the second panel are of meshes having different physical properties.
28 . The template according to claim 24 , wherein the first panel and the second panel have different knit patterns.
29 . The template according to claim 24 , wherein the first panel has a different stretchability than the second panel.
30 . A fabric template for use in a breast surgical procedure, the template comprising a knitted silk mesh having a first panel section and a second panel section, wherein the first panel section has a rectangular shape and the second panel section has a rectangular shape and wherein the second panel is larger than the first panel.
31 . The template according to claim 30 , wherein the first panel and the second panel comprise a single knitted mesh.
32 . The template according to claim 30 , wherein the first panel and the second panel are of a node-lock construction.
33 . The template according to claim 30 , wherein the first panel and the second panel are of meshes having different physical properties.
34 . The template according to claim 30 , wherein the first panel and the second panel have different knit mesh patterns.
35 . The template according to claim 30 , wherein the first panel has a different stretchability than the second panel.