Ingrowth shroud and implanting method utilizing the same

Claim 2

For use in connection with an implanting procedure, an elongated implant adapted to be situated in the interior of a body organ with said implant having opposed end regions beyond which the body organ is adapted to extend, and ingrowth shroud means adapted to surround the body organ at the region thereof where the implant is located, said ingrowth shroud means being adapted to extend along the exterior of the body organ beyond the opposed ends of the implant for reinforcing the organ to prevent kinking thereof at the ends of the implant, said ingrowth shroud means having, for engagement with the organ, a surface of sufficient porosity to promote the ingrowth of tissue between the organ and the ingrowth shroud means.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 and wherein the body organ is a vas deferens while the implant is a valve adapted to be implanted in the vas deferens to reversibly prevent the flow of sperm-carrying fluid, said ingrowth shroud means being in the form of a bendable mesh adapted to surround the vas deferens at the part thereof where the valve is located and adapted to extend beyond opposed ends of the valve.

Claim 4

For use in connection with an implanting procedure, an ingrowth shroud consisting of a filamentary mesh sheet material means which is flexible and bendable while having a relatively small degree of resiliency so as to be bendable around and placed in engagement with the exterior of an organ for reinforcing the latter, said filamentary mesh sheet material means having a porosity sufficient to promote the ingrowth of tissue between the organ and the sheet material means, and said sheet material means having a dimension along the organ sufficiently great to enable the sheet material means to extend through substantial distances beyond opposed ends of an implant situated in the organ with said sheet material means having sufficient resistance to bending to prevent kinks from forming in the organ at the ends of the implant without completely eliminating the flexability of the organ, the filamentary sheet material means having, for extending circumferentially around the organ, a dimension great enough to enable end regions of the sheet material means to overlap, the end regions of the sheet material means which are adapted to overlap being formed with notches which when the end regions overlap cooperate to define an opening through which a part of an implant is adapted to extend.

Claim 5

For use in connection with an implanting procedure, an ingrowth shroud consisting of a filamentary mesh sheet material means which is flexible and bendable while having a relatively small degree of resiliency so as to be bendable around and placed in engagement with the exterior of an organ for reinforcing the latter, said filamentary mesh sheet material means having a porosity sufficient to promote the ingrowth of tissue between the organ and the sheet material means, and said sheet material means having a dimension along the organ sufficiently great to enable the sheet material means to extend through substantial distances beyond opposed ends of an implant situated in the organ with said sheet material means having sufficient resistance to bending to prevent kinks from forming in the organ at the ends of the implant without completely eliminating the flexability of the organ, the filamentary sheet material means having, for extending circumferentially around the organ, a dimension great enough to enable end regions of the sheet material means to overlap, the end regions of the sheet material means which are adapted to overlap being formed with notches which when the end regions overlap cooperate to define an opening through which a part of an implant is adapted to extend.

Claim 6

In an implanting method, the steps of situating in an elongated tubular organ an elongated implant which terminates in a pair of opposed ends, and bending around and in engagement with the exterior of the organ a filamentary mesh sheet material which is flexible and bendable while being of a relatively small degree of resiliency and which has dimensions great enough to extend completely around the organ and along and through substantial distances beyond the opposed ends of the implant, and situating the sheet material at a location where it extends through substantial distances beyond the opposed ends of the implant while bending the sheet material to an extent according to which it completely surrounds and engages the exterior surface of the organ for reinforcing the latter, for providing some degree of bending of the organ while preventing kinking thereof at the ends of the implant, and for promoting ingrowth of tissue between the exterior organ and the filamentary mesh sheet material.

Claim 7

In an implanting method, the steps of situating in an elongated tubular organ an elongated implant which terminates in a pair of opposed ends, and bending around and in engagement with the exterior of the organ a filamentary mesh sheet material which is flexible and bendable while being of a relatively small degree of resiliency and which has dimensions great enough to extend completely around the organ and along and through substantial distances beyond the opposed ends of the implant, and situating the sheet material at a location where it extends through substantial distances beyond the opposed ends of the implant while bending the sheet material to an extent according to which it completely surrounds and engages the exterior surface of the organ for reinforcing the latter, for providing some degree of bending of the organ while preventing kinking thereof at the ends of the implant, and for promoting ingrowth of tissue between the exterior organ and the filamentary mesh sheet material.

Claim 8

In a method as recited in claim 4 and wherein end regions of the sheet material are placed in overlapping relation extending longitudinally along the organ during bending of the sheet material.

Claim 9

In a method as recited in claim 4 and wherein the organ is a vas deferens while the implant is a valve.

Claim 10

In a method as recited in claim 6 and wherein end regions of the sheet material are placed in overlapping relation extending longitudinally along the organ with the valve having a stem extending through a wall of the organ and said end regions of the implant being notched and receiving the stem in the notched end regions.