Reinforced biological tissue

摘要

The present invention provides for an implantable medical device comprising a hybrid composite material including a first biological component such as an acellular tissue matrix and a second non-biological component for strengthening the device after implantation.

主权项

1. An implantable medical device, comprising:
a composite material comprising: a sheet of an acellular tissue matrix; and a non-biological component including an upper portion, a lower portion, and a neck portion between the upper portion and the lower portion, wherein the sheet of the acellular tissue matrix wraps around the neck portion of the non-biological component between the upper portion and the lower portion and covers at least a portion of a surface of the non-biological component to form an elongated composite having a predetermined target load capacity approximating the load capacity of a native human ligament to be replaced by the elongated composite, wherein at least one of (i) the upper portion of the non-biological component is folded over in the direction of the lower portion of the non-biological component or (ii) the lower portion of the non-biological component is folded over in the direction of the upper portion of the non-biological component, to overlap a portion of the wrapped sheet of the acellular tissue matrix with the non-biological component while maintaining a central portion of the wrapped sheet of the acellular tissue matrix exposed between the upper and lower portions of the non-biological component, and wherein the non-biological component has a higher tensile load capacity than the sheet of the acellular tissue matrix at the time of implantation, and the sheet of the acellular tissue matrix has a higher load capacity than the non-biological component after implantation and following growth of native cells within the acellular tissue matrix, such that the load capacity of the composite material is within the target load capacity range at the time of implantation and also following growth of native cells within the acellular tissue matrix.