Devices and methods for treating spinal cord tissue

Abstract

The present invention provides devices and methods that treat damaged spinal cord tissue, such as spinal tissue damaged by disease, infection, or trauma, which may lead to the presence of swelling, compression, and compromised blood flow secondary to interstitial edema.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for treating damaged spinal cord tissue, comprising:
 a porous bio-incorporable material having pore structure configured to permit gaseous communication between one or more pores of the porous bio-incorporable material and the spinal cord tissue to be treated, the porous bio-incorporable material having, at least at a selected surface of the porous bio-incorporable material for placement proximate the damaged spinal cord tissue, pores sufficiently small to prevent the growth of tissue therein; and   a vacuum source for producing sub-atmospheric pressure disposed in gaseous communication with the porous bio-incorporable material for distributing the sub-atmospheric pressure to the spinal cord tissue to be treated.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous bio-incorporable material comprises open-cell collagen. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous bio-incorporable material comprises polydiolcitrate. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous bio-incorporable material comprises polydiolcitrate and collagen. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous bio-incorporable material comprises elastin, hyaluronic acid, alginates, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous bio-incorporable material comprises an electrospun material. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous bio-incorporable material comprises a cast material. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous bio-incorporable material comprises a printed material. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous bio-incorporable material has, at least at a selected surface of the porous bio-incorporable material for placement proximate the damaged spinal cord tissue, a pore size smaller than the size of fibroblasts and spinal cord cells. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous bio-incorporable material has a pore size at the interior of the bio-incorporable material that is larger than that of fibroblasts and spinal cord cells. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous bio-incorporable material has a pore size, at a location other than the selected surface, that is larger than that of fibroblasts and spinal cord cells. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pore size of the porous bio-incorporable material is large enough to allow movement of proteins the size of albumin therethrough. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous bio-incorporable material comprises at least one surface that is sealed to prevent the transmission of sub-atmospheric pressure therethrough. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous bio-incorporable material comprises a pore size sufficiently large to promote the formation of granulation tissue at a surface other than the selected surface of the porous material. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum source comprises a vacuum pump. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a cover configured to cover the damaged spinal cord tissue to maintain sub-atmospheric pressure under the cover at the damaged spinal cord tissue. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the cover comprises a self-adhesive sheet.