Breast implant introducer

Abstract

A breast implant injector device comprising a hollow guide cylinder having an open injection end and an opposed filling end, the cylinder having an elongated slot extending from the injection end toward the filling end, and an elongated plunger which can be pushed through the interior of the hollow cylinder. An unfilled breast implant can be inserted in the cylinder and a fill tube extending from the implant can extend from the interior of the cylinder through the elongated slot. Pushing the plunger through the cylinder pushes the implant through the open injection end, which can be directed into the open incision for injecting the implant therein. The filling end and the elongated slot are covered from the ambient environment by a flexible covering which allow passage of the implant through the filling end and the fill tube through the elongated slot.

1 . A breast implant injector device comprising a hollow cylinder having opposed open ends, including a filling end and an injection end, said cylinder including an elongated slot extending from at least said injection end toward the filling end, an elongated plunger capable of passing through the interior of said cylinder, and a flexible cover means juxtaposed to said elongated slot and capable of closing and opening said slot to the ambient environment.  
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said elongated slot extends from said injection end to said opposing filling end.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said injection end has a narrower diameter than the opposed filling end.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said cylinder includes an outward abutment surface adjacent said filling end to provide a surface onto which increased finger pressure can be applied.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said plunger has a flattened end so as to provide sufficient surface area to push an implant through said guide cylinder.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said flexible cover means includes a pair of flexible strips placed on opposite edges of said slot, said flexible strips capable of separating from each other along said slot.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said flexible cover means comprises a natural or synthetic rubber or plastic.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1  further including a second flexible cover means juxtaposed to said open filling end, said second flexible cover means capable of opening and closing said open filling end to the ambient environment.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8  wherein said second flexible cover means comprises a natural or synthetic rubber or plastic.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 8  wherein said second flexible cover means comprises a plurality of flexible flaps juxtaposed to said open filling end and to one another and capable of separating from a juxtaposed flap to expose said open filling end to said ambient environment.  
   
   
       11 . A combination of a breast implant injector device and an unfilled breast implant containing a fill tube extending therefrom, said combination including a hollow cylinder having opposed open ends, including a filling end and an injection end, said cylinder including an elongated slot extending from said injection end toward said filling end, said breast implant lying within said hollow cylinder and said fill tube extending from the interior of said hollow cylinder through said elongated slot, a flexible cover means juxtaposed to said elongated slot and capable of closing said slot to the ambient environment and opening said slot to the ambient environment at the location the fill tube extends from said slot.  
   
   
       12 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein said elongated slot extends from said injection end to said opposing filling end.  
   
   
       13 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein said injection end has a narrower diameter than said filling end.  
   
   
       14 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein said cylinder includes an outward abutment surface adjacent said filling end to provide a surface onto which increased finger pressure can be applied.  
   
   
       15 . The combination of  claim 11 , including an elongated plunger capable of passing through the interior of said cylinder.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said plunger has a flattened end so as to provide sufficient surface area to push an implant through said guide cylinder.  
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 11  wherein said flexible cover means includes a pair of flexible strips placed on opposite edges of said slot, said flexible strips capable of separating from each other along said slot at the location the fill tube extends from said slot.  
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17  wherein said flexible cover means comprises a natural or synthetic rubber or plastic.  
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 11  further including a second flexible cover means juxtaposed to said open filling end, said second flexible cover means capable of opening and closing said open filling end to the ambient environment.  
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 19  wherein said second flexible cover means comprises a natural or synthetic rubber or plastic.