Abstract: An inflatable implant has a flexible shell that forms an internal lumen. It has a base portion and an envelope portion, with an aperture through the base. A tubing storage shell is in the lumen and attached to the base, forming a peripheral seal with the base around the aperture in the base. A flexible fill tubing is structurally permanently attached to the tubing storage shell, sealed with the aperture in the tubing storage shell and passing freely through the aperture in the base. A substantial length of the fill tubing is stored in the storage shell which can be drawn toward an incision in the skin of the patient so the volume of the implant can be adjusted without directly accessing the shell.

Abstract: An implantation prosthesis, and a composite material for use in constructing this prosthesis. The material is flexible. It has an inner wall, an outer wall, and a foam layer between the walls in adherent surface-to-surface contact. The walls are made of a flexible elastomeric material with at least limited permeability. The foam is resiliently deformable to resist sharp folding of the walls, and to resist relative in-plane motion of the walls.

Abstract: A method to make a silicone foam. A layer of crystalline material is embedded in a layer of uncured silicone. The crystalline material is closely packed in crystal-to-crystal contact, the crystals being provided in a plurality of sizes or ranges of size to increase the packing ratio of the crystals as a group. The silicone is cured and then the crystals are dissolved out with a solvent that dissolves them but does not dissolve the silicone.

Abstract: Disclosed is a subperiosteal tissue expander for reconstruction of the edentulous atrophied alveolar ridge of the mandible or maxilla. The expander includes an inflatable tube curved into a "C" shape to match the curvature of the human alveolar ridge, having a layer of reinforcement material on one side of the inflatable tube and tabs for attachment of lines at either end of the inflatable tube. Also disclosed is a method for reconstructing the edentulous atrophied alveolar ridge of the maxilla or the mandible by placing a tissue expander subperiosteally along the alveolar ridge of the maxilla or mandible, inflating the expander to create a subperiosteal channel, removing the expander, and filling the subperiosteal channel with a hard material such as hydroxylapatite.