Fat processing system

Abstract

Lipoaspirate can be treated for use in fat grafting procedures. For example, the lipoaspirate can be placed in a container having an inlet for receiving the lipoaspirate and an outlet for dispensing and removal of desired materials from the lipoaspirate. The inlet and the outlet can be located on a common side of first and second filter elements. An activation mechanism can be actuated to move the first filter element relative to the second filter element within the container to separate cellular components of the lipoaspirate from non-cellular components of the lipoaspirate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treating lipoaspirate for use in fat grafting procedures, the method comprising:
 providing a container having an inlet for receiving the lipoaspirate and an outlet for dispensing and removal of desired materials from the lipoaspirate, the container having a first filter element and a second filter element disposed therein, both the inlet and the outlet being located on a common side of the first and second filter elements; and   moving the first filter element relative to the second filter element within the container to separate cellular components of the lipoaspirate from non-cellular components of the lipoaspirate, the moving comprising:
 slidably coupling a plunger to each of the first and second filter elements in the container; and 
 driving at least one of the respective plungers to displace the first filter element relative to the second filter element within the container. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the driving at least one of the respective plungers comprises applying a force to manually move the at least one plunger in a desired direction. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the force applied to move the at least one plunger moves the respective filter element via a piston. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising controlling a rate of separating the cellular components of the lipoaspirate from the non-cellular components using a mechanically limiting feature coupled to the piston. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein controlling the rate of separating comprises at least one of:
 controlling acceleration of the plunger through the lipoaspirate; or   reducing a speed at which the first filter element is moved through the lipoaspirate relative to the second filter element.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the mechanically limiting feature comprises a spring coupled to the plunger. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein controlling the acceleration of the plunger through the lipoaspirate comprises permitting the spring to provide a dampening effect and slow motion of the first filter element through the lipoaspirate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the mechanically limiting feature comprises a hydraulic mechanism coupled to the plunger. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein controlling the acceleration of the plunger through the lipoaspirate comprises permitting the hydraulic mechanism to provide a dampening effect and slow motion of the first filter element through the lipoaspirate. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising observing separation of the cellular components of the lipoaspirate from the non-cellular components of the lipoaspirate and stopping movement of the first filter element relative to the second filter element when a desired degree of separation is achieved. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first filter element has a pore size different from a pore size of the second filter element. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first filter element is configured to separate blood/tumescent fluids from cellular materials in the lipoaspirate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second filter element is configured to separate oils from cellular materials in the lipoaspirate. 
     
     
         14 . A method for treating lipoaspirate for use in fat grafting procedures, the method comprising placing the lipoaspirate in a container having an inlet for receiving the lipoaspirate and an outlet for dispensing and removal of desired materials from the lipoaspirate, both the inlet and the outlet being located on a common side of first and second filter elements, and actuating an activation mechanism which moves the first filter element relative to the second filter element within the container to separate cellular components of the lipoaspirate from non-cellular components of the lipoaspirate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the activation mechanism comprises a plunger, the actuating the activation mechanism comprising:
 slidably coupling the plunger to each of the first and second filter elements in the container; and   driving the plunger to move the first filter element relative to the second filter element.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the activation mechanism comprises a manually operable piston and a mechanically limiting feature coupled to the piston, the method further comprising controlling a rate of separating the cellular components of the lipoaspirate from the non-cellular components using the mechanically limiting feature coupled to the piston. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein controlling the rate of separating comprises at least one of:
 controlling acceleration of the plunger through the lipoaspirate; or   reducing a speed at which the first filter element is moved through the lipoaspirate relative to the second filter element.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the mechanically limiting feature comprises at least one of a spring or a hydraulic mechanism coupled to the plunger. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein controlling the acceleration of the plunger through the lipoaspirate comprises permitting at least one of the spring or the hydraulic mechanism to provide a dampening effect and slow motion of the first filter element through the lipoaspirate. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first filter element has a pore size different from a pore size of the second filter element.