Tissue expander improvements
OwnerWilliam T. McClellaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Improvements for use with tissue expanders are provided. A first aspect includes a tissue expander device provided with a colorant inside a shell before the shell is inflated with fluid, wherein the colorant mixes with fluid upon injection of fluid into the shell. A second aspect includes a tissue expander device provided with a tread on an exterior surface of the shell. A third aspect includes a system having: a computing device with a visual display screen; a detector connected to the computing device that is configured to detect a port of a tissue expander that is implanted under skin of a patient; and software running on the computing device that receives signals from the detector and causes the visual display screen to show a visual representation of a location of the detected port of the tissue expander.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a computing device with a visual display screen;
- a detector connected to the computing device that is configured to detect a port of a tissue expander that is implanted under skin of a patient;
- software running on the computing device that receives signals from the detector and causes the visual display screen to show a visual representation of a location of the detected port of the tissue expander.
A system, comprising:
- a computing device with a visual display screen;
- a detector connected to the computing device that is configured to detect a port of a tissue expander that is implanted under skin of a patient;
- software running on the computing device that receives signals from the detector and causes the visual display screen to show a visual representation of a location of the detected port of the tissue expander,
- wherein the computer device is configured to activate a light that projects a pattern on the skin of the patient in response to correct alignment being achieved.
A system, comprising:
- a computing device comprising a visual display screen and a detector that detects an access port of a tissue expander that is implanted under skin of a patient;
- and
- software running on the computing device that receives signals from the detector and causes the visual display screen to show a visual representation of a location of the detected access port of the tissue expander,
- wherein the software changes the display based on changing at least one of the location and orientation of the detector relative to the access port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.