Abstract A percutaneous device for facilitating passage of wires, tubes, and other electrical or fluid conductors through the skin of an animal, in a manner such that the wires, tubes, or other conductors are immobilized with respect to the skin and a fluid and bacterial seal is obtained. The device comprises a generally cylindrical, elongated percutaneous conduit element having a central passageway therethrough and a subcutaneous fenestrated flange disposed in generally surrounding relationship to the conduit element. The subcutaneous flange is provided with a series of holes suitably spaced and sized to facilitate growth of tissue therethrough. The conduit element and the flange are contoured to facilitate the proliferation of the external epidermis down along the outer surfaces of the conduit, out, over and under the surfaces of the subcutaneous flange, through the holes in the flange, and up the passageway in the conduit element. Thus, the epidermis provides, in effect, an exteriorization of the flange and a sphincter around the passageway to immobilize wires, tubes and other electrical or fluid conductors extending through the passageway.
A percutaneous conduit device for facilitating passage of information, energy or material to or from the interior of an animal while preventing substantial ingress of bacteria and egress of body fluids, said device comprising: an elongated, generally cylindrical percutaneous conduit element having a central passageway therethrough; and a subcutaneous fenestrated flange mounted on the conduit element, in surrounding relationship to said passageway, the holes being dispersed throughout the flange area, being generally circular and having diameters approximately equal to the thickness of the flange and being spaced equidistant along a series of equally angularly spaCed involute spirals; the junction between the outer surfaces of said conduit element and said flange being rounded to provide a smoothly contoured fillet radius to facilitate and guide the proliferation of the external epidermis of an animal in which said device has been implanted in a direction down along the conduit, out, over and under the flange, through the fenestrations in the flange, and up to said passageway whereby said epidermis provides an exteriorization of the flange and a sphincter around said passageway.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
A percutaneous conduit device for facilitating passage of information, energy or material to or from the interior of an animal while preventing substantial ingress of bacteria and egress of body fluids, said device comprising: an elongated, generally cylindrical percutaneous conduit element having a central passageway therethrough; and a subcutaneous fenestrated flange mounted on the conduit element, in surrounding relationship to said passageway, the holes being dispersed throughout the flange area, being generally circular and having diameters approximately equal to the thickness of the flange and being spaced equidistant along a series of equally angularly spaCed involute spirals; the junction between the outer surfaces of said conduit element and said flange being rounded to provide a smoothly contoured fillet radius to facilitate and guide the proliferation of the external epidermis of an animal in which said device has been implanted in a direction down along the conduit, out, over and under the flange, through the fenestrations in the flange, and up to said passageway whereby said epidermis provides an exteriorization of the flange and a sphincter around said passageway.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A percutaneous device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the total open area of the holes is approximately equal to the remaining area of the flange.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A percutaneous device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the lateral edges of the holes and of the flange are rounded.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A percutaneous device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said conduit element and said flange are integral.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A percutaneous device as set forth in claim 1 wherein is included an external flange disposed at the opposite end of the conduit element from said subcutaneous flange.