Biofilm protection implant shield

An apparatus for shielding an implant from a dissection tunnel in a subject during insertion of the implant into a surgically-created implant pocket connected to an incision in the skin of the subject by the dissection tunnel, the apparatus comprising:

• a base having an upper surface and a lower surface, the base having an aperture formed therein and extending through the upper surface and the lower surface, wherein the aperture is operable to receive the implant therethrough;
• and
• a tubular member coupled with the base, the tubular member having an inner bore extending longitudinally between a proximal end having a proximal opening and a distal end having a distal opening, the inner bore extending a predetermined length away from the lower surface of the base;
• wherein the proximal end of the tubular member is coupled with the lower surface of the base and the distal end of the tubular member extends a predetermined length away from the lower surface of the base, the distal end of the tubular member operable to be inserted into the dissection tunnel in the subject connecting the incision in the skin of the subject to the surgically-created implant pocket;
• wherein the inner bore of the tubular member is substantially aligned with the aperture formed in the base;
• wherein the inner bore is operable to receive the implant therethrough and has a substantially uniform cross-sectional width over the predetermined length;
• wherein the upper surface of the base forms the proximal most end of the apparatus and the distal end of the tubular member forms the distal most end of the apparatus;
• and
• wherein the base comprises a diameter that is at least three times greater than the cross-sectional width of the inner bore of the tubular member.