Devices and methods for treating tissue

Abstract

The present invention provides devices and methods for treating biological tissue. The treatment comprise implanting a scaffold implant device into in combination with a therapeutic material such as cells, tissue or cell components. The scaffold device serves to hold the therapeutic material at the treatment site, protecting it from being squeezed out by surrounding tissue. Additionally the scaffold device is believed to trigger an injury response that leads to angiogenesis in the tissue, which provides blood flow and nutrients to the associated therapeutic material to sustain it for a therapeutically effective amount of time. The devices may also be implanted at a tissue site already treated with a therapeutic material to initiate angiogenesis at the treatment site to sustain the material. The devices and methods also may be used to treat tumors with a necrosis factor.

Having thus described the invention what we desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:  
     
         1 . An implant for treating biological tissue comprising: 
 therapeutic material associated with a scaffold structure that is implantable within tissue.    
     
     
         2 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the scaffold further comprises an interior defining a chamber and at least one opening to the interior, wherein the therapeutic material is associated with the interior of the scaffold.  
     
     
         3 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the scaffold defines an exterior surface and the therapeutic material is associated with the exterior surface.  
     
     
         4 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the scaffold structure is porous and a therapeutic material is associated within the pores of the structure.  
     
     
         5 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic material defines a plurality of cells.  
     
     
         6 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic material defines tissue.  
     
     
         7 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic material comprises precursor cells.  
     
     
         8 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic material comprises stem cells.  
     
     
         9 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic material comprises a cardiomyocyte.  
     
     
         10 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic material comprises DNA.  
     
     
         11 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic material comprises skeletal myoblasts.  
     
     
         12 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic material is joined to the scaffold structure by surgical adhesive.  
     
     
         13 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic material is applied as a coating to the scaffold structure.  
     
     
         14 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 12  wherein the coating is adhered to the scaffold structure by opposite electrical charges.  
     
     
         15 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic material is maintained in a gel form that is associated with the scaffold.  
     
     
         16 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic material is suspended in a liquid that is applied to the scaffold after it has been implanted in tissue.  
     
     
         17 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the scaffold further comprises a coil body.  
     
     
         18 . A tissue implant device as defined in  claim 1  wherein the scaffold further comprises a mesh tube  
     
     
         19 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the scaffold structure further comprises a porous pellet.  
     
     
         20 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the scaffold structure comprises a surgical grade stainless steel.  
     
     
         21 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the scaffold structure comprises a nickel titanium alloy.  
     
     
         22 . A tissue implant as defined in  claim 1  wherein the scaffold structure comprises a biodegradable polymer.  
     
     
         23 . A myocardial implant comprising: 
 an angiogenic implant device having associated with it a therapeutic material configured to improve cardiac muscle function.    
     
     
         24 . A method of treating dysfunctional muscle tissue comprising: 
 providing therapeutic material configured to improve muscular function;    providing a angiogenic implant;    associating the therapeutic material with the angiogenic implant; and    implanting the angiogenic implant and therapeutic material in combination in dysfunctional tissue    
     
     
         25 . A method of treating dysfunctional muscle tissue as defined in  claim 24  wherein the muscle tissue is myocardial tissue of the heart.  
     
     
         26 . A method of treating dysfunctional muscle tissue as defined in  claim 25  wherein the heart is accessed surgically and the implant is delivered through the epicardium of the heart.  
     
     
         27 . A method of treating dysfunctional muscle tissue as defined in  claim 25  wherein the heart is accessed percutaneously and the implant is delivered through the endocardium of the heart.  
     
     
         28 . A method for treating dysfunctional muscle tissue comprising: 
 providing therapeutic material configured to improve muscular function;    providing an angiogenic implant;    placing the implant in dysfunctional tissue; and    associating the therapeutic material with the angiogenic implant that has been placed in the tissue.    
     
     
         29 . A method of treating dysfunctional muscle tissue as defined in  claim 28  wherein the tissue is myocardial tissue of the heart.  
     
     
         30 . A method of treating dysfunctional muscle tissue as defined in  claim 29  wherein the heart is accessed surgically and the implant is delivered through the epicardium of the heart.  
     
     
         31 . A method of treating dysfunctional muscle tissue as defined in  claim 29  wherein the heart is accessed percutaneously and the implant is delivered through the endocardium of the heart.  
     
     
         32 . A method of sustaining transplanted cells and host tissue comprising: 
 placing a mechanical implant at the transplant site to promote localized angiogenesis in the tissue to supply blood to the cells.    
     
     
         33 . A method of treating a tumor comprising: 
 providing a scaffold structure;    providing an inhibitor material configured to inhibit tumor growth; and    implanting the scaffold and the biological material in the tumor.