Patents Assigned to Inamed Development Company
  • Patent number: 5083576
    Abstract: An inflatable envelope and a procedure for using it for the purpose of elongating tubular or linear tissue during the acute phase of a surgical procedure. The envelope has a path upon which the tissue is aligned, whose path length increases with inflation of the envelope. Successive inflations and deflations result in elongation of the tissue enabling re-connection of ends of the tissue which before were significantly spaced apart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Assignee: Inamed Development Company
    Inventors: Amado Ruiz-Razura, Benjamin E. Cohen
  • Patent number: 5033481
    Abstract: An improved inflatable longitudinal expander used in reconstructive surgery for lengthening soft tissue. A retaining disk, a central portion of which is affixed to the top of an inflatable expansion chamber, wraps around and securely holds the soft tissue to be expanded. The retaining disk is fastened in place with a single suture. Once the soft tissue is safely enclosed within the envelope formed by the retaining disk, the tissue expander is inflated with saline solution injected through a self-sealing injection port causing the inflatable expansion chamber to expand and the soft tissue to be stretched and lengthened. The expander, which may be used intraoperatively or implanted for interoperative use, is particularly adapted for either short or long-term stretching of tubular or linear tissues such as blood vessels, fallopian tubes or nerves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Inamed Development Company
    Inventor: Charles J. Heyler, III
  • Patent number: 4760837
    Abstract: An improved injection reservoir for medically implantable devices is disclosed, the improvement means for (a) verifying that the tip of the needle is actually in the injection reservoir prior to injection; and (b) reducing damage to the needle tip during the verification procedure. In the preferred embodiment flexible needle guard provides first contact with a needle entering the reservoir. Further pressure on the needle results in movement of the needle guard causing brushes attached thereto to slide against a roughened surface housed within the reservoir causing a mechanical vibration which can be either felt with the fingers via transmission up the needle or heard with a stethoscope placed on the skin in the vicinity of the reservoir. The surface of the flexible needle is coated with a layer of hard biocompatible elastomer to further reduce damage to the needle tip during position verification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1988
    Assignee: Inamed Development Company
    Inventor: Michael G. Petit