Biological tissue growth through induced tensile stress

摘要

A tissue expansion device implanted in a non-activated state over a region of desired tissue growth. Once implanted and positioned the device is activated creating a supporting structure that creates a convex shaped dome over the underlying tissue. The convex shaped dome formed by the tissue expansion device places a tensile stress against the underlying tissue that promotes tissue growth. Alone or with the introduction of tissue enhancing agents and/or adipose tissue, new tissue within the convex shaped void grows until a balance is achieved eliminating the induced stress. Periodically the tissue expansion devices is again activated and enlarged creating an even larger void. Again, the newly enlarged void places additional tensile stress on the underlying tissue thus repeating the cycle of new tissue growth. Once the desired amount of tissue growth has been achieved the device is deactivated and removed.

主权项

1. A method for promoting human tissue generation, comprising:
providing a tissue expansion device, said tissue expansion device comprising
an inner membrane,an outer membrane, andan inflatable spiral vessel, encased within the inner membrane and the outer membrane,the vessel being expandable upon inflation thereof between a substantially planar deflated state and an inflated state in the form of a dome having a vertex with the outer membrane positioned external to the dome and the inner membrane positioned internal to the dome; implanting the tissue expansion device between tissue layers of a patient while the vessel is in the deflated state such that the inner membrane interfaces a region of desired tissue growth; and inflating the vessel to the inflated state such that a convex void is formed between the region of desired tissue growth and the inner membrane and under the entire inner membrane such that the entire tissue expansion device is located outside of the convex void, thereby promoting tissue growth in the region of desired tissue growth.