US 12,642,550 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for tissue grafting

AssigneeThe General Hospital Corporation

InventorsRichard Rox Anderson, William A. Farinelli, Michael R. Hamblin, Dieter Manstein

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Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of apparatus and method for harvesting small portions of tissue (“micrografts”) to form grafts can be provided. For example, a hollow tube can be inserted into tissue at a donor site, where a distal end of the hollow tube can have two or more points or extensions to facilitate separation of the micrografts from the surrounding tissue. The exemplary apparatus can be provided that includes a plurality of such tubes for simultaneous harvesting of a plurality of micrografts. The harvested micrografts can have a small dimension, e.g., less than about 1 mm, or less than about 0.3 mm, which can promote healing of the donor site and/or viability of the harvested tissue. The micrografts can be approximately cylindrical or strip-shaped, and can be placed in a biocompatible matrix to form a graft or directly into tissue at the recipient site. Such exemplary micrografts can be obtained from skin or other types of tissue, e.g., various internal organs.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of hollow tubes, each of the plurality of hollow tubes comprising:
a first exterior side and a second exterior side opposite the first exterior side;
only two extensions disposed at a distal end thereof;
a first bevel on the first exterior side at the distal end, the first bevel being disposed between the two extensions;
a second bevel on the second exterior side at the distal end, the second bevel being disposed between the two extensions, wherein the two extensions, the first bevel, and the second bevel are configured to sever a corresponding skin micrograft upon insertion of the respective hollow tube into a donor site;
and
an inner diameter of 1 millimeter or less configured to retain the skin micrograft upon withdrawal of the respective hollow tube from the donor site;
a base configured to secure the plurality of hollow tubes, such that the distal ends of the plurality of hollow tubes are aligned during insertion into the donor site;
wherein each skin micrograft retained by the respective hollow tube is separatable from the donor site without rotating the respective hollow tube around an axis thereof;
and
wherein the plurality of hollow tubes includes at least one of:
at least four hollow tubes;
more than five hollow tubes;
more than 10 hollow tubes;
or
more than 30 hollow tubes.

13 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of hollow tubes, each of the plurality of hollow tubes comprising:
a first exterior side and a second exterior side opposite the first exterior side;
only two extensions disposed at a distal end thereof;
a first bevel on the first exterior side at the distal end, the first bevel being disposed between the two extensions;
a second bevel on the second exterior side at the distal end, the second bevel being disposed between the two extensions, wherein the two extensions, the first bevel, and the second bevel are configured to sever a corresponding skin micrograft upon insertion of the respective hollow tube into a donor site;
and
an inner diameter of 1 millimeter or less configured to retain the skin micrograft upon withdrawal of the respective hollow tube from the donor site;
a base configured to secure the plurality of hollow tubes, such that the distal ends of the plurality of hollow tubes are aligned during insertion into the donor site;
wherein each skin micrograft retained by the respective hollow tube is separatable from the donor site without rotating the respective hollow tube around an axis thereof;
and
wherein the plurality of hollow tubes form a linear array of hollow tubes.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/922,990Filed 7 Jul 2020 · continuation
Priority: 1 Apr 2008
Published: US 2020/0360043 A119 Nov 2020
Granted: 2 Jun 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

A61B 17/32053
Excision instruments: punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife
A61B 17/320068
Surgical cutting instruments: using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic
A61B 17/322
Surgical cutting instruments: skin grafting apparatus
A61B 10/0233
Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy: pointed or sharp biopsy instruments

Family

Application61/041,587Us provisional application · filed 1 Apr 2008
PCT/US2009/039114Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Apr 2009
Application15/785,897Parent of this continuation · filed 17 Oct 2017
US 2020/0360043 A1Pre-grant publication · published 19 Nov 2020
US 10,716,591 B2Parent of this continuation
Application12/936,173Parent of this continuation
US 9,827,006 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2012/0041430 A1Published application
US 2018/0036029 A1Published application
US 12,642,550 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.