US6503277B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of transplanting human body tissue
Assignee: Bonutti Research Inc
•
Filing: 2001-03-01
•
Granted: 2003-01-07
•
Expires: 2021-03-01
Abstract
Abstract A method of transplanting human body tissue. Tissue elements are obtained from a human donor and are interconnected at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted. The article is then transported to an operating facility where it is implanted into a patient.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter M. Bonutti
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:16
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/88; A61B17/885; A61B17/16; A61B17/1604; A61B17/1606; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/08; A61F2/28; A61F2/30; A61F2/32; A61F2/36; A61F2/3662; A61F2/46; A61F2/4644; B; B30; B30B; B30B1/00; B30B1/02; B30B1/04; B30B11/00; B30B11/02; A61B17/04; A61B17/06; A61B17/06166; A61B17/68; A61B17/84; A61B17/86; A61B2017/00004; A61B2017/00535; A61B2017/00539; A61B2017/00544; A61B2017/00969; A61F2/0811; A61F2/3094; A61F2002/2835; A61F2002/2839; A61F2002/30001; A61F2002/30003; A61F2002/3006; A61F2002/30062; A61F2002/30075; A61F2002/30108; A61F2002/30199; A61F2002/30224; A61F2002/30316; A61F2002/30535; A61F2002/30537; A61F2002/30545; A61F2002/30579; A61F2210/00; A61F2210/0004; A61F2210/0061; A61F2230/00; A61F2230/0063; A61F2230/0069; A61F2240/00; A61F2240/001; A61F2250/00; A61F2250/0004; A61F2250/001; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S623/00; Y10S623/901; Y10S623/902; Y10S623/908
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the articles from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein the step of obtaining tissue elements includes obtaining bone tissue elements and tendon elements and said step of interconnecting the tissue elements includes connecting bone tissue elements with opposite end portions of at least one tendon element.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
141 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the articles from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein the step of obtaining tissue elements includes obtaining bone tissue elements and tendon elements and said step of interconnecting the tissue elements includes connecting bone tissue elements with opposite end portions of at least one tendon element.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the article from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein said step of interconnecting tissue elements includes interconnecting a plurality of separate tissue elements to form a unitary tissue element having a desired configuration.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the article from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein said step of interconnecting tissue elements includes interconnecting a plurality of separate tissue elements to form a unitary tissue element having a desired configuration.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
157 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the articles from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein said step of maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor includes maintaining at least some of the tissue elements in a viable living condition during the obtaining of the tissue elements and the interconnecting of the tissue elements.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
157 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the articles from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein said step of maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor includes maintaining at least some of the tissue elements in a viable living condition during the obtaining of the tissue elements and the interconnecting of the tissue elements.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the articles from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein said step of interconnecting tissue elements includes cutting off of excess tissue from at least one of the tissue elements.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the articles from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein said step of interconnecting tissue elements includes cutting off of excess tissue from at least one of the tissue elements.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining bone fragments from at least one human donor, combining the bone fragments with a gelatin carrier, shaping the bone fragments and gelatin carrier at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said step of shaping the bone fragments and gelatin carrier includes heating at least the gelatin carrier and at least partially enclosing the bone fragments with the gelatin carrier, moving the article from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining bone fragments from at least one human donor, combining the bone fragments with a gelatin carrier, shaping the bone fragments and gelatin carrier at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said step of shaping the bone fragments and gelatin carrier includes heating at least the gelatin carrier and at least partially enclosing the bone fragments with the gelatin carrier, moving the article from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements includes packing the tissue elements together.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements includes applying pressure against tissue elements.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements includes adding growth enhancers to the plurality of tissue elements and interconnecting the plurality of tissue elements and growth enhancers to form the article to be implanted.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 further including the steps of removing fluid from the tissue elements prior to movement of the article from the remote location to the operating facility and absorbing fluid into the article after the article has been implanted into the patient.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements includes applying force against the tissue elements and monitoring the magnitude of the force applied against the tissue elements.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements to form an article includes changing the configuration of the tissue elements from a first configuration to a second configuration.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said step of interconnecting tissue elements includes interconnecting tissue elements having different physical characteristics to form a composite article to be implanted in a patient.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of implanting the article into the patient includes using the article during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said step of obtaining tissue elements includes obtaining a plurality of tissue fragments, said step of interconnecting the tissue elements includes interconnecting the tissue fragments.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements includes adding fibrin to the tissue elements to form an article which contains at least fibrin and a plurality of tissue elements.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements includes extruding the tissue elements.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements includes heating the tissue elements.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as set forth in claim 2 further including the step of expanding the article after the article has been implanted into the patient.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said step of shaping the bone fragments and gelatin carrier includes applying force against the bone fragments and gelatin carrier after having performed said step of heating the gelatin carrier.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as set forth in claim 19 further including the step of monitoring the magnitude of the force applied against the bone fragments and gelatin carrier and maintaining the magnitude of the force applied against the bone fragments and gelatin carrier at a magnitude which is less than predetermined magnitude.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as set forth in claim 5 further including the step of providing bone growth enhancers in the gelatin carrier.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as set forth in claim 5 further including the step of providing fibrin in the gelatin carrier.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as set forth in claim 5 further including the step of removing fluid from the bone fragments prior to combining of the bone fragments with the gelatin carrier.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the articles from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from the operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements with a biodegradable matrix, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue elements enclosed with the biodegradable matrix.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the articles from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from the operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements with a biodegradable matrix, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue elements enclosed with the biodegradable matrix.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the articles from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from the operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements with a biodegradable mesh, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue elements enclosed with the biodegradable mesh.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the articles from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from the operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements with a biodegradable mesh, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue elements enclosed with the biodegradable mesh.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the articles from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements in a matrix formed by gelatin, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue enclosed in the matrix formed by gelatin.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of transplanting human body tissue, said method comprising the steps of obtaining tissue elements from at least one human donor, interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient, said steps of obtaining tissue elements and interconnecting tissue elements include at least partially maintaining at least some characteristics of the tissue elements that were present prior to obtaining of the tissue elements from the donor, moving the articles from the remote location to the operating facility, and implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility, wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements in a matrix formed by gelatin, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue enclosed in the matrix formed by gelatin.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method as defined in claim 2 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from the operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements with a biodegradable matrix, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue elements enclosed with the biodegradable matrix.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method as defined in claim 2 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from the operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements with a biodegradable mesh, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue elements enclosed with the biodegradable mesh.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method as defined in claim 2 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements in a matrix formed by gelatin, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue enclosed in the matrix formed by gelatin.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method as defined in claim 3 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from the operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements with a biodegradable matrix, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue elements enclosed with the biodegradable matrix.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method as defined in claim 3 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from the operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements with a biodegradable mesh, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue elements enclosed with the biodegradable mesh.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method as defined in claim 3 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements in a matrix formed by gelatin, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue enclosed in the matrix formed by gelatin.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method as defined in claim 4 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from the operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements with a biodegradable matrix, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue elements enclosed with the biodegradable matrix.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method as defined in claim 4 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from the operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements with a biodegradable mesh, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue elements enclosed with the biodegradable mesh.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method as defined in claim 4 wherein said step of interconnecting the tissue elements at a location remote from an operating facility to form an article to be implanted in a human patient includes enclosing the tissue elements in a matrix formed by gelatin, said step of implanting the article into the patient at the operating facility is performed with the tissue enclosed in the matrix formed by gelatin.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-01-06 | 2006-07-08 | 2007-01-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-01-06 | 2010-07-08 | 2011-01-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-01-06 | 2014-07-08 | 2015-01-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |