A method of harvesting tissue intraoperatively is disclosed and can include exposing a joint in a patient. Further, the method can include resecting tissue from the joint and identifying healthy tissue. The method can also include placing the healthy resected tissue in a container with a tissue preservation fluid.
In another embodiment, a tissue specimen is disclosed and can include healthy tissue harvested during an orthopedic surgery and at least one identifying characteristic associated with the healthy tissue.
In still another embodiment, a tissue bank is disclosed and can include a first tissue specimen, a second tissue specimen, a third tissue specimen, and an Nth tissue specimen. Each tissue specimen can be harvested intraoperatively, placed in a container having a tissue preservation fluid therein, and transferred to the tissue bank.
Referring to
As further illustrated in
Referring to
As depicted in
During a full knee replacement surgery, portions of the knee joint 300 may be resected. For example, the lateral meniscus 310 and the medial meniscus 312 may be resected. Further, the lateral condyle 314 and the medial condyle 318 of the femur 302 may be resected in order to shape the end of the femur 302 to receive a superior portion of an artificial knee joint. Also, the lateral condyle 316 and the medial condyle 320 of the tibia 304 may be resected in order to shape the end of the tibia 304 to receive an inferior portion of an artificial knee joint.
Commonly, only a portion of the knee joint 300 is diseased, e.g., arthritic. As such, the lateral meniscus 310 or the medial meniscus 312 may be the only joint component that is diseased. However, during the full knee replacement surgery the lateral meniscus 310 and the medial meniscus 312 are typically resected even if one or the other is healthy tissue. Further or alternatively, the lateral condyle 314 or the medial condyle 318 of the femur 302 may be the only joint component that is diseased. Typically, however, the lateral condyle 314 and the medial condyle 318 of the femur 302 are both removed during full knee replacement surgery, regardless of whether one or the other is healthy tissue. Further or alternatively, the lateral condyle 316 or the medial condyle 320 of the tibia 304 may be the only joint component that is diseased. However, in most cases the lateral condyle 316 and the medial condyle 320 of the tibia 304 are both removed during full knee replacement surgery, regardless of whether one or the other is healthy tissue.
Referring to
Commencing at block 400, a surgeon can expose a joint. At block 402, the surgeon can distract the bones that make up the joint. For example, if the joint is a knee joint, the surgeon can distract the femur from the tibia and fibula. Moving to block 404, the surgeon can resect tissue in the joint in order to prepare the joint to receive the components of the artificial joint to be installed during the joint replacement surgery. For example, during a knee replacement surgery, the surgeon can resect a lateral meniscus, a medial meniscus, a lateral condyle of the femur, a medial condyle of the femur, a lateral condyle of the tibia, a medial condyle of the tibia, or a combination thereof. In a particular embodiment, when the lateral condyle and the medial condyle of the tibia are resected, they can be resected as a single piece of tissue known as the tibial plateau.
Proceeding to block 406, the resected tissue can be saved (i.e., not discarded) by the surgeon. At block 408, the healthy resected tissue can be identified. Further, at block 410, diseased tissue can be resected from the healthy tissue, if necessary. For example, when a tibial plateau is resected, either the lateral condyle or the medial condyle of the tibia may be diseased and the remaining condyle may be healthy. As such, the diseased tissue can be resected from the healthy tissue.
Continuing to block 412, the healthy resected tissue can be placed in a container filled with tissue preservation fluid. The tissue preservation fluid can increase the longevity of the tissue while it is stored for later use. Further, the tissue preservation fluid can provide for chondropreservation of cartilage, ligaments, tendons, etc. Moreover, the tissue preservation fluid can condition, or otherwise optimize, the tissue placed therein by supplying nutrients, one or more growth factors, or a combination thereof, to fortify the tissue for reimplantation. As such, the tissue preservation fluid may not only preserve the tissue, but the tissue preservation fluid can increase the vitality or fitness of the tissue such that the tissue may be more durable and more readily incorporated into a patient in which the tissue is implanted.
At block 414, the container can be marked with one or more identifying characteristics. For example, the container can be marked with a location identifier, i.e., the location from which the tissue was harvested. The container can also be marked with a size identifier, i.e., the thickness of the tissue and other relevant dimensions. Further, the container can be marked with an amount identifier, e.g., the amount of resected tissue. The container can also be marked with a type identifier, e.g., the type of tissue resected. Moreover, the container can be marked with a blood identifier, e.g., a blood type associated with the patient from whom the tissue was harvested. Additionally, the container can be marked with a date identifier and a time identifier indicating the time and date at which the tissue was harvested. In like manner, the container can be marked with any other indicia of potentially useful information, such as the age or sex of the patient from whom the tissue was harvested or the like.
Moving to block 416, the parts of the artificial joint can be installed on the bones that make up the joint. At block 418, the implant can be assembled. Further, at block 420, the surgical wound can be closed. The surgical wound can be closed using sutures, surgical staples, or any other surgical technique well known in the art. Moving to block 422, postoperative care can be initiated. At block 424, the healthy resected tissue can be transferred to a tissue bank. The method can end at step 426.
Referring to
As shown, the first tissue specimen 502 can include a location identifier 510 that can indicate the location from which the first tissue specimen 502 was harvested. For example, the location can be a knee joint, a shoulder joint, a hip joint, or some other joint. The first tissue specimen 502 can also include a size identifier 512 that can indicate the thickness of the first tissue specimen 502 or some other relevant dimensions. Further, the first tissue specimen 502 can include an amount identifier 514 that can indicate an amount of tissue included in the first tissue specimen 502. The first tissue specimen 502 can also include a type identifier 516 that can indicate the type of tissue resected. Moreover, as shown in
With the configuration of structure described above, the method of harvesting tissue intraoperatively provides a way to capture tissue that would otherwise be discarded. The healthy tissue harvested using the method described herein can be transferred to a tissue bank and saved for later use. Further, the healthy tissue can be used for partial tissue transplants in patients. As such, patients that would otherwise have to undergo a more invasive full joint replacement have a less invasive option that may heal relatively quicker than a full joint replacement. The tissue can be kept at a tissue bank within the hospital in which the tissue is harvested or a central location that serves multiple hospitals and surgical centers.
The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments that fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.