METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CREATING A MODIFIED TISSUE GRAFT
In a method of creating a modified tissue graft, at least one exterior surface of a graft is modified by compressing, cutting and/or removing one or more portions thereof, such as to create designed surface features which cause the tissue graft to have characteristics for a specific anatomical area. The modified tissue graft may include a medicated graft, such as by associating medicants with the surface features, or by associating a second graft or layer with a modified base tissue graft layer, where medicants are associated with the second graft or layer. The tissue graft may be modified by pressing a specially configured template or die, such as having blades thereon, into the tissue graft, such as to create a pattern of partial depth cuts.
1 . A method of creating a modified tissue graft for use at an anatomical site of a human body, comprising the steps of:
obtaining a tissue graft, said tissue graft having an exterior surface, said exterior surface comprising a top surface and a generally opposing bottom surface, said tissue graft having a thickness between said top surface and said bottom surface; and
altering at least one of said top surface and said bottom surface of said tissue graft by compressing, cutting and/or removing one or more portions of said exterior surface of said tissue graft to create one or more designed surface features, said one or more designed surface features extending into said exterior surface of said tissue graft without extending through said thickness of said tissue graft.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more designed surface features comprise at least one of a: cut, slit, void, pocket, blind hole, sleeve, channel, depression, and fold.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of altering is performed using at least one of a laser, a water knife, a cutting blade, a die and a punch.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of associating at least one medicant, tissue or secondary material with at least one of said one or more of said designed surface features.
5 . The method of claim 1 , comprising altering both said top surface and said bottom surface.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said top surface is altered to create one or more first designed surface features and said bottom surface is altered to create one or more second designed surface features.
7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising associating at least one first medicant, tissue or secondary material with said one or more first designed surface features and at least one second medicant, tissue or secondary material with said one or more second designed surface features.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of altering creates one or more first designed surface features at a first area of said tissue graft, said one or more first designed surface features causing said tissue graft to have first characteristics at said first area, and one or more second designed surface features at a second area of said tissue graft, said one or more second designed surface features causing said tissue graft to have second characteristics at said second area.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more designed surface features comprise cuts.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein one or more of said cuts comprise first cuts extending in a first direction and said one or more cuts comprise second cuts extending in a second direction.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein one or more of said first and second cuts overlap one another.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said one or more designed surface features are selected based upon said anatomical site of use of said modified tissue graft.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said tissue graft comprises human tissue.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said tissue graft comprises cellular non-human tissue, including cellular and acellular processed grafts.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said tissue graft comprises one or more synthetic materials.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said modified tissue graft further comprises one or more modifications which extend therethrough from said top surface to said bottom surface.
17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said tissue graft is obtained from a location different than said anatomical site.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said one or more designed surface features have a uniform pattern
19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said one or more designed surface features are non-uniform.
20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of altering is performed in said one or more areas to cause said modified tissue graft to have one or more desired characteristics which are dependent on an anatomical application for said graft.