Rolled flexible implants and device for deployment thereof

Abstract

A deployment device for a flexible implant includes a housing and one or two chambers formed therein. When two chambers are included, the housing can have two elongate openings formed in its outer sides, each providing side access to one of the chambers, and the flexible implant can be rolled into a double-rolled configuration and placed in the chambers of the deployment device in such a way that a middle portion of the flexible implant is external to the housing. When the flexible implant is rolled and loaded in the deployment device, the flexible implant can extend out through open end(s) of the chamber(s) or can be encapsulated within the chamber(s). The flexible implant can be provided separate from the deployment device. The flexible implant can include a flexible base sheet including a body portion and a tab. A flexible separable layer can be removably disposed on the body portion.

1 - 46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . A deployment system, comprising:
 a flexible implant comprising:
 a flexible sheet base having a body portion; and 
 a flexible separable layer having a first major surface and a second major surface on side of the flexible separable layer that is opposite the first major surface in such a way that the first major surface and the second major surface have greater surface areas than any other side of the flexible separable layer, the flexible separable layer being detachably and removably disposed in a contiguous manner with the body portion of the flexible sheet; 
 wherein, subsequent to being unrolled, the flexible sheet base is adapted to independently re-assume a rolled configuration in such a way that if the flexible separable layer resides on the flexible sheet base the flexible separable layer is positioned on an outside surface of the rolled configuration. 
   
     
     
         48 . The deployment system of  claim 47 , wherein the flexible implant is disposed in a rolled configuration comprising a roll being aligned on a central axis that is generally perpendicular to a width of the flexible sheet base, wherein the width of the flexible sheet base is greater than or equal to a length of the flexible sheet base. 
     
     
         49 . The deployment system of  claim 47 , wherein the flexible implant is disposed in a rolled configuration comprising a roll being aligned on a central axis that is generally perpendicular to a width of the flexible sheet base, wherein the width of the flexible sheet base is less than or equal to a length of the flexible sheet base. 
     
     
         50 . The deployment system of  claim 47 , wherein the flexible implant is disposed in a rolled configuration comprising two rolls each being aligned on a central axis that is generally perpendicular to a width of the flexible sheet base, wherein the width of the flexible sheet base is greater than or equal to a length of the flexible sheet base. 
     
     
         51 . The deployment system of  claim 47 , wherein the flexible implant is disposed in a rolled configuration comprising two rolls each being aligned on a central axis that is generally perpendicular to a width of the flexible sheet base, wherein the width of the flexible sheet base is less than or equal to a length of the flexible sheet base. 
     
     
         52 . The deployment system of  claim 47 , wherein the flexible implant is in a single-rolled configuration comprising only one roll or a double-rolled configuration comprising only two rolls. 
     
     
         53 . The deployment system of  claim 47 , wherein the flexible sheet base has a larger surface area than the flexible separable layer in such a way that the flexible sheet base forms a border around the flexible separable layer. 
     
     
         54 . The deployment system of  claim 47 , wherein the flexible sheet base and the flexible separable layer are adhered together. 
     
     
         55 . The deployment system of  claim 47 , wherein the flexible sheet base and the flexible separable layer are adhered together by an adhesion tie layer, an adhesive coating, or both. 
     
     
         56 . The deployment system of  claim 47 , wherein the flexible separable layer is configured to adhere to a target tissue location. 
     
     
         57 . The deployment system of  claim 56 , wherein an adhesion force between the flexible separable layer and the target tissue location is greater than an adhesion force between the flexible separable layer and the flexible sheet base. 
     
     
         58 . The deployment system of  claim 57 , wherein, placing the second major surface of the flexible separable layer against the target tissue location and releasing the flexible implant causes the flexible sheet base re-assume the rolled configuration and separate from the flexible separable layer. 
     
     
         59 . The deployment system of  claim 47 , the body portion of the flexible sheet base comprises a tab extending therefrom at an end of a width of the flexible sheet base. 
     
     
         60 . The deployment system of  claim 47 , wherein the body portion of the flexible sheet base comprises a tab extending therefrom and configured to be gripped by a user during deployment of the flexible separable layer.