IMPLANT FOR SPREADING THE NASAL WINGS

Abstract

A roof-shaped implant for spreading the nasal wings, which implant is attachable to the triangular cartilage of the human nose and is made from an initially flat strip that has been bent to a roof shape, has a dorsal section of the implant above the dorsum of the nose is flat or curved so as to be only slightly angled towards the plateau region of the triangular cartilage at an angle of spread of ω>160 °, or curved around the plateau region of the triangular cartilage in a barrel shape at a radius of curvature of r>4 cm, preferably r>10 cm, and two lateral sections extend so as to be parallel in relation to the respective nasal wing at an angle φ of more than 50° towards the flat dorsal section so as to be canted downwards. In this way without incurring major production expenditure it is possible to achieve a particularly good geometric match of the implant to the shape of the human triangular cartilage. In particular, after the operation no hollow spaces arise between the implant and the triangular cartilage.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of an implant according to the invention, comprising a flat dorsal section;

FIG. 2 a a diagrammatic front view of the implant shown in FIG. 1 in a direction parallel to the top edge of the dorsum of the nose;

FIG. 2 b a diagrammatic front view of a second exemplary embodiment of an implant according to the invention with a dorsal section that is slightly angled towards the plateau region of the triangular cartilage; and

FIG. 3 a diagrammatic view of a flat blank for an implant according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first possible embodiment of an implant 11 according to the invention. Said implant has been bent from a flat strip 10, as diagrammatically shown in FIG. 3, to form a roof-like spatial shape.

In the flat section already, the strip 10 is bent in a V-like manner and comprises a rounded tip. Said strip 10 comprises a number of regular perforations 15 that help not only to reduce the weight of the implant 11, but also to reduce as far as possible the fraction of exogenous material in the body of a patient. Furthermore, the perforations 15 promote growth of the tissue into the implant 11. The implant 11 is surgically placed underneath the wing cartilage into the nose by means of a so-called open rhinoplasty and is attached to the triangular cartilage by means of a suture. In this process several individual sutures are placed through the perforations and the triangular cartilage and are fixed.

FIGS. 1 and 2 a clearly show that the embodiment, shown therein, of the implant 11 according to the invention comprises a flat dorsal section 12, which in the implanted state is arranged above the dorsum of the nose. On both sides of the nasal wings two lateral sections 13, 14 of the implant 11 extend so as to be essentially parallel in relation to the respective nasal wing at an angle φ of more than 50° towards the flat dorsal section 12, canted downwards, as is indicated in particular in FIG. 2a. The free ends 16, 17 of the two lateral sections 13, 14 of the implant 11 extend so as to be canted downwards towards the dorsal section 12 by an angle that is greater still than that of the remaining parts of the lateral sections 13, 14, wherein the canting angles of the free ends 16, 17 are such that the lateral sections 13, 14 in the implanted state are in close spatial contact, in particular in a clamping arrangement, which is under tension on both sides and which is preferably symmetrical, with the triangular cartilage.

However, the dorsal section of the implant according to the invention does not have to be 100% flat. In some embodiments it can also comprise a slight angle or a very slight curvature without the advantages of the invention being altogether lost in this arrangement. On the contrary, in many humans the plateau-shaped region of the triangular cartilage is also not completely flat but instead is slightly curved, so that with such embodiments it is possible to achieve a particularly good geometric match of the implant to the individual features of the patient.

FIG. 2 b thus shows an embodiment in which the implant 11′ comprises a dorsal section 12′ that is only very slightly angled towards the plateau region of the triangular cartilage at an angle of spread ω>160°. In this arrangement too the two lateral sections 13′, 14′ of the implant 11′ extend so as to be essentially parallel in relation to the respective nasal wing at an angle φ of more than 50° towards the flat dorsal section 12′ so as to be canted downwards, again ending in free ends 16′, 17′ that are canted downwards towards the dorsal section 12′ at a still greater angle when compared to that of the remaining parts of the lateral sections 13′ 14′.

In further embodiments, not shown in the drawing, instead of the slight angle shown in FIG. 2b the dorsal section of the implant according to the invention can also comprise a very slight barrel-shaped curvature with a relatively large radius of curvature r>4 cm, preferably even r>10 cm around the plateau region of the triangular cartilage.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the type described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an implant for spreading the nasal wings, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

Claims

1. A roof-shaped implant for spreading nasal wings, attachable to a triangular cartilage of a human nose and composed of an initially flat strip that has been bent to a roof shape, the implant comprising a dorsal section to be located above a dorsum of a nose and having a shape selected from the group consisting of a flat shape and a curved shape so as to be only slightly angled toward a plateau region of the triangular cartilage at an angle of spread of ω>160°, or curved around a plateau region of the triangular cartilage in a barrel shape at a radius of curvature of r>4 cm; and two lateral sections to be arranged on both sides of the nasal wings and extending so as to be essentially parallel in relation to a respective nasal wing at an angle φ of more than 50° toward said flat dorsal section so as to be canted downwards.

2. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 1, wherein said two lateral sections are widened toward their free ends.

3. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the flat implant is composed of metal.

4. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the implant is composed of metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, a titanium alloy, and a special steel.

5. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the implant has a contour selected from the group consisting of an angled contour and a trapezoid contour with or without instances of branching.

6. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 5, wherein the implant has the angled contour which is V-shaped.

7. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the implant comprises perforations.

8. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 7, wherein the perforations are provided both on said lateral sections and on said dorsal section situated in between.

9. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 6, wherein said perforations are formed as holes selected from the group consisting of round holes and elongated holes.

10. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the implant comprises a coating that is tolerated by a body.

11. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the implant is formed as a laser-produced implant.

12. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 1, wherein said two lateral sections have free ends which are canted downwards towards said dorsal section by a still greater angle when compared to an angle of remaining parts of said lateral sections.

13. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 11, wherein the canting angles of said free ends of said two lateral sections are configured such that in their implanted state said lateral sections establish close spatial contact in particular in the clamping arrangement that is under section on both sides with a triangular cartilage.

14. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 12, wherein said lateral sections are configured such that in their implanted state they establish close spatial contact in the clamping arrangement that is under tension on both sides and is symmetrical, with the triangular cartilage.

15. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the implant is formed as a micro injection-molded implant.

16. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the implant is composed of a material having a memory effect.

17. A roof-shaped implant as defined in claim 16, wherein the implant is composed of Nitinol.