Method and device for repositioning tissue

Abstract

A device for repositioning tissue includes a hand held main body having a housing which defines a chamber for holding tissue. The chamber is connected to a negative pressure source to create a vacuum in the chamber. A flexible cannula is affixed to the main body, and includes a distal end and a proximate end, with openings through the thickness of the walls of each. The cannula defines a hollow lumen which is in communication with the distal end opening and the proximate end opening and the tissue holding chamber. The distal end of the cannula may be positioned in proximity to a patient's body to receive tissue therefrom through the distal end opening and to transport the tissue through the lumen and proximate end opening to the tissue holding chamber in response to the vacuum created in the tissue holding chamber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative depiction of the tissue repositioning device formed in accordance with one form of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative depiction of the tissue repositioning device of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, which illustrates a different positional state of certain structure of the device from that which is shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative depiction of the tissue repositioning device of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the addition of a cooling element.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the tissue repositioning device of one form of the present invention, with the housing wall thereof partially broken away to reveal internal components of the device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tissue repositioning device of the present invention in accordance with another form thereof.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a tissue repositioning device formed in accordance with an alternative form of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is one side view of the tissue repositioning device of the present invention shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is another side view of the tissue repositioning device of the present invention shown in FIG. 5.

Claims

1. A device for repositioning tissue, which comprises: a handholdable main body, the main body having structure defining a chamber for holding tissue therein, the chamber being fluid communicatable with a source of negative pressure to create at least a partial vacuum therein; anda cannula having a distal end and a proximate end disposed axially opposite the distal end, the proximate end of the cannula being affixed to the main body, the cannula having an opening formed in each of the proximate end and the distal end thereof and defining a hollow lumen extending at least partially along the axial length thereof, the lumen being in fluid communication with the tissue chamber and the cannula openings in the distal and proximate ends;whereby the distal end of the cannula may be positioned in proximity to a patient's body to receive tissue therefrom through the distal end opening and to transport the tissue through the lumen and proximate end opening to the tissue chamber in response to the at least partial vacuum created in the tissue chamber.

2. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 1, wherein the main body further includes a heating element, the heating element being in thermal communication with the tissue chamber to provide heat to the tissue chamber.

3. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 1, wherein the main body further includes a cooling element, the cooling element being in thermal communication with the tissue chamber to provide a cooling temperature to the tissue chamber.

4. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 1, wherein the main body further includes a temperature control element, the temperature control element being in thermal communication with the tissue chamber to maintain the tissue chamber at a predetermined temperature.

5. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 4, wherein the main body further includes a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor being in thermal communication with the tissue chamber to sense the temperature thereof, the temperature control element being responsive to the temperature sensor and adjusting the temperature of the tissue chamber in response thereto.

6. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 2, wherein the volume of the tissue chamber is changeable.

7. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 6, wherein the structure defining the tissue chamber is collapsible and expandable to receive a varying amount of tissue in the chamber and to dispense from the chamber tissue held thereby.

8. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 7, wherein the tissue chamber defining structure includes a housing of the main body, the housing being formed of at least a first portion and a second portion at least a part of which is telescopically receivable in the first portion to selectively provide the tissue chamber with a changeable volume.

9. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 8, wherein the second portion of the tissue chamber defining structure includes a free end receivable by the first portion and a plunger disposed on the free end, the free end and plunger of the second portion being reciprocatingly axially slidable within the first portion to selectively vary the volume of the tissue chamber.

10. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 9, whereby movement of the plunger of the second portion in one direction axially within the first portion forces tissue held in the tissue chamber from the chamber and through the cannula lumen and distal end opening to be dispensed thereby.

11. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 1, wherein the tissue chamber is in fluid communication with a source of therapeutic substance.

12. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 1, wherein the cannula is at least partially flexible.

13. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 1, which further comprises a moveable shaft disposed at least partially within the lumen of the cannula, the shaft being in mechanical communication with a source of mechanical movement and moving within the lumen in response to the source of mechanical movement, the shaft having a distal end situated in proximity to the distal end of the cannula, and a proximate end axially opposite the distal end and situated in proximity to the proximate end of the cannula, and further comprising a cutting blade, the cutting blade being disposed at the distal end of the moveable shaft and in alignment with the distal end opening, the cutting blade being movable within the lumen at the distal end opening in response to movement of the shaft and being exposable through the distal end opening to contact and excise tissue thereat.

14. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 13, wherein the energy source of mechanical movement is a motor, the motor being mounted on the hand/holdable main body.

15. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 14, which further comprises gearing, the gearing being coupled to the motor and the moveable shaft.

16. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 15, wherein the motor generates rotational movement at a first rotational velocity, and wherein the gearing causes the shaft to rotate in at least a second rotational velocity in response to the rotational movement generated by the motor, the second rotational velocity of the shaft being different from the first rotational velocity generated by the motor.

17. A device for repositioning tissue as defined by claim 15, wherein the motor generates rotational movement, and wherein the gearing causes the shaft to reciprocatingly slide axially within the lumen in response to the rotational movement generated by the motor.

18. A method for repositioning tissue, which comprises the steps of: generating at least a partial vacuum in a tissue holding chamber of a handholdable device;excising tissue from a patient's body at one location with a moving cutting blade affixed to a shaft moveable within a cannula, the cannula having a distal end and a proximate end which is disposed axially opposite the distal end, and defining a hollow lumen extending at least partially along the axial length thereof, the lumen being in fluid communication with the tissue chamber and the cannula openings in the distal and proximate ends; andtransporting the tissue excised by the cutting blade through the lumen and proximate end opening to the tissue chamber in response to the at least partial vacuum created in the tissue chamber.

19. A method of repositioning tissue as defined by claim 18, which further comprises the steps of: repositioning the distal end of the cannula at a second location on the patient's body, the second location being different from the first location; andforcing tissue held in the tissue chamber from the chamber and through the cannula lumen and distal end opening so that the tissue is dispensed and repositioned at the second location on the patient's body.