Systems and methods for tissue expansion with fluid delivery and drainage system

Abstract

The invention provides systems and methods for tissue expansion. A tissue expander may have an implant portion which may be used to expand the tissue. A delivery/drainage system may be also be provided, which may be in fluid communication with a pocket surrounding the tissue expander. Various port configurations may be provided that may provide access to the implant portion and/or the delivery/drainage system. The tissue expander may advantageously help prevent or treat infection, or check the state of the pocket surrounding the tissue expander.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tissue expander, comprising:
 an implant shell defining an internal cavity configured to contain a fluid;   an implant port providing fluidic access to the internal cavity of the implant shell;   a delivery system contacting the implant shell, wherein the delivery system is in fluidic communication with an area at an exterior of the tissue expander; and   a pocket port providing fluidic access to the delivery system,   wherein the implant port is on the implant shell and the pocket port is remote from the implant shell.   
     
     
         2 . The tissue expander of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery system includes a delivery canal encircling at least a portion of a circumference of the implant shell. 
     
     
         3 . The tissue expander of  claim 2 , wherein the delivery canal comprises a plurality of openings that place an interior of the delivery canal in fluidic communication with the area at the exterior of the tissue expander. 
     
     
         4 . The tissue expander of  claim 3 , wherein the delivery system, including the delivery canal, is fluidically isolated from the internal cavity of the implant shell. 
     
     
         5 . The tissue expander of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the delivery system further comprises an auxiliary delivery canal at an anterior side of the tissue expander;   the auxiliary delivery canal comprises a plurality of holes; and   the delivery canal and the auxiliary delivery canal are in fluidic communication.   
     
     
         6 . The tissue expander of  claim 2 , wherein the delivery canal is more rigid than the implant shell. 
     
     
         7 . The tissue expander of  claim 2 , further comprising a communication channel connected to the pocket port and the delivery canal, wherein pocket port provides fluidic access to the delivery system via the communication channel. 
     
     
         8 . The tissue expander of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the delivery system comprises a double-wall delivery region;   the implant shell is a first wall of the double-wall delivery region; and   a second wall of the double-wall delivery region comprises a plurality of holes that place an interior of the double-wall delivery region in fluidic communication with the area at the exterior of the tissue expander.   
     
     
         9 . The tissue expander of  claim 1 , wherein the implant port is integral to the implant shell. 
     
     
         10 . The tissue expander of  claim 1 , further comprising a coating on an exterior surface of the tissue expander, wherein the coating is configured to dissolve inside a patient body. 
     
     
         11 . The tissue expander of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the implant port provides selective fluidic access to the internal cavity for at least one of: inflating and deflating the tissue expander; and   the pocket port provides selective fluidic access to the delivery system for at least one of: injecting a fluid into the area at the exterior of the tissue expander, and extracting fluid from the area at the exterior of the tissue expander.   
     
     
         12 . The tissue expander of  claim 1 , wherein the pocket port is disconnectable from the tissue expander. 
     
     
         13 . The tissue expander of  claim 2 , wherein the delivery canal extends outward from the implant shell. 
     
     
         14 . A tissue expander, comprising:
 an implant shell defining an internal cavity configured to contain a fluid;   an implant port providing fluidic access to the internal cavity for selectively inflating and deflating the implant shell;   a delivery canal contacting at least a portion of the implant shell and comprising a plurality of openings that place an interior of the delivery canal in fluidic communication with an area at an exterior of the tissue expander;   a communication channel connected to and in fluidic communication with the delivery canal; and   a pocket port connected to and in fluidic communication with the communication channel, wherein:   the implant port provides selective fluidic communication with the internal cavity exclusive of the delivery canal;   the pocket port provides selective fluid communication with the delivery canal exclusive of the internal cavity; and   the implant port is on the implant shell and the pocket port is remote from the implant shell.   
     
     
         15 . The tissue expander of  claim 14 , wherein the pocket port, the communication channel, and the delivery canal are configured for at least one of: injecting a fluid into the area at the exterior of the tissue expander, and extracting fluid from the area at the exterior of the tissue expander. 
     
     
         16 . The tissue expander of  claim 15 , wherein the delivery canal is more rigid than the implant shell. 
     
     
         17 . The tissue expander of  claim 14 , wherein the pocket port is disconnectable from the tissue expander. 
     
     
         18 . The tissue expander of  claim 14 , wherein the delivery canal extends outward from the implant shell. 
     
     
         19 . A method of using the tissue expander of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 providing a first fluid via the implant port to the implant shell; and   providing a second fluid via the pocket port to a delivery canal in contact with the implant shell, thereby causing the second fluid to extrude from the delivery canal to an area outside the implant shell.