Patent · US Expired

Artificial pancreatic perfusion device with reseedable matrix

US5116493A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
9References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 25, 1991
Grant dateMay 26, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 25, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61M1/1678
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A device which serves as an artificial pancreas comprises a hollow fiber which is surrounded by islets of Langerhans enclosed in a housing. The islets are suspended in a semi-gel matrix or supporting material that is sufficiently viscous to physically support and maintain location of the islets about the hollow fiber, but sufficiently fluid to enable removal of the islet suspension from the device, followed by reseeding or replacement with fresh islet suspension. The matrix in which the islets are suspended preferably comprises calcium sodium alginate. The semi-gel supporting material also enables long term maintenance of islet cells in in vitro culture.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.