Biodegradable surgical implants and devices
US6171338A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 6, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jan 9, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 6, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61F2230/0091
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A surgical device made of biodegradable material for keeping open a tissue cavity. The tissue includes at least one tissue type selected from the group consisting of healthy tissue or parts thereof, operated tissues or parts thereof, and damaged tissue or parts thereof. The device includes an elongated rod made of the biodegradable material. The elongated rod is at least partially wound, at least once, around a winding center into a helical configuration in a manner that there exists a space free of material of the biodegradable rod between portions of the elongated rod that are adjacent in the wound structure. The rod is at least partially reinforced with biodegradable reinforcement elements oriented in the longitudinal direction of the elongated rod so as to produce an opening force in the winding due to the effect of the winding of the elongated rod into the helical configuration.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.