System for producing tissue-engineered material

Abstract

A system for producing a tissue-engineered material includes a hollow member and a mechanical stimulating unit. The hollow member is adapted to be implanted in a peritoneal cavity, and is to be positioned in the peritoneal cavity in a manner that a part of the hollow member contacts an inner wall surface of the peritoneal cavity for enabling formation of a biological tissue that encapsulates the hollow member. The mechanical stimulation unit is coupled to the hollow member and configured to provide a periodic mechanical stimulus to the biological tissue by periodically causing the hollow member to expand and contract. A method for producing the aforesaid tissue-engineered material is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for producing a tissue-engineered material in a peritoneal cavity of a living subject, said system comprising:
 a hollow member adapted to be implanted in the peritoneal cavity, wherein said hollow member is made of a biocompatible and fluid-impermeable material that is expansible and contractible and is to be positioned in the peritoneal cavity in a manner that a part of said hollow member contacts an inner wall surface of the peritoneal cavity for enabling formation of a biological tissue that encapsulates said hollow member; and   a mechanical stimulation unit coupled to said hollow member and configured to provide, during a stimulation session, a periodic mechanical stimulus to the biological tissue being formed on said hollow member by periodically introducing a fluid to flow into and out of said hollow member to cause said hollow member to expand and contract accordingly.   
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said hollow member has an elastic segment that has opposite ends, that is elastically deformable, and that is to be disposed in the peritoneal cavity, and a pair of securing subcutaneous segments that extend from and are in fluid communication with said opposite ends of said elastic segment respectively, that are to be extended outwardly of the peritoneal cavity, and that are adapted to position said elastic segment in the peritoneal cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said mechanical stimulation unit is configured such that the fluid is periodically introduced into and drawn out of said hollow member from one of said securing segments during the stimulation session. 
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said mechanical stimulation unit includes a pair of delivery pipe units each of which is coupled to and in fluid communication with a respective one of said securing segments, a pressurizing device that is coupled to and in fluid communication with one of said delivery pipe units and that is operable to introduce the fluid that flows into and out of said hollow member, and a pressure sensing device that is connected to the other one of said delivery pipe units and that is operable for detecting the pressure of the fluid in said hollow member and for generating an output signal corresponding to the pressure. 
     
     
         5 . The system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said pressurizing device includes a syringe pump. 
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising a control unit that is electrically coupled to said pressurizing device and said pressure sensing device, and that is operable for receiving the output signal from said pressure sensing device and for controlling operation of said pressurizing device according to the output signal. 
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said control unit is configured to control operation of said pressurizing device for controlling duration of the stimulation session, frequency of introducing the fluid, and the pressure of the fluid being introduced into said hollow member. 
     
     
         8 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said control unit is a programmable device. 
     
     
         9 . The system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein each of said delivery pipe units includes a duct member that is connected to and in fluid communication with the respective one of said securing segments, and a pipe member connected to and in fluid communication with said duct member and connected to a corresponding one of said pressurizing device and said pressure sensing device.