Method of and apparatus for sampling, processing and collecting tissue and reinjecting the same into human patients

Abstract

Methods of and apparatus for safely harvesting, processing (i.e. preparing), collecting and re-injecting adipose and other forms of tissue for immediate autologous tissue transplantation, explant culture endeavors or cell dissociations and the like.

1 . A tissue sampling, processing and injection syringe device to which a cannula can be connected via a Luer locking connector, comprising:
 tissue collection tube having (i) distal end opening for receipt of distal tip cap, (ii) proximal end opening and (iii) interior volume;   a plunger connected to a push piston, for insertion into the interior volume;   micro-pores formed along one side of the collection tube for allowing fluids to pass therethrough and concentrating cellular material; and   micro-pore occluder for sliding on and fitting about said tissue collection tube, and being rotatably configured to occlude said micro-pores in an occluded state, or allow said micro-pores to remain exposed and open to the ambient environment in an non-occluded state; and   a cap adapted to fit over and close off the distal end opening, or tip portion of the tissue collection tube.   
     
     
         2 . A method of harvesting a tissue sample from a patient or donor using a tissue sampling, processing and injection syringe device of  claim 1  comprising the steps of:
 (a) removing said cap from said syringe device; 
 (b) occluding said micro-pores by rotating said micro-pore occluder into place so that said micro-pores are occluded; 
 (c) attaching a cannula to said syringe device, and then inserting said cannula into donor site of patient. 
 (d) withdrawing said plunger to create vacuum and collecting fat tissue in said syringe device, until full of aspirated tissue. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , which further comprises:
 (e) aspirating a volume of irrigation solution (e.g. insulin and/or growth factor enrichment solution) through said syringe device, containing a collection tissue sample, for the purpose of cleansing and conditioning the tissue sample after harvesting.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , which further comprises:
 removing said cannula from the patient when said tissue collection tube is filled with tissue; and   attaching said cap onto the distal end opening of said tissue collection tube.   
     
     
         5 . A method of processing an aspirated tissue sample using the tissue sampling, processing and injection syringe device of  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 (a) removing said cannula from the distal end portion of said tissue collection tube, and attaching said cap onto the tip thereof to close off the distal end opening; and   (b) exposing said micro-pores so that fluid in said collected tissue sample can be filtered/expressed through said micro-pores when said plunger is manually pushed into said collection tube while the micro-pores are non-occluded, so as to concentrate the collected tissue sample for re-injection into a patient, or subsequent processing at a tissue bank.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , which further comprises:
 (c) occluding said micro-pores by manually rotating said micro-pore occluder into its micro-pore occlusion state; and   (d) ejecting said concentrated tissue from said tissue collection tube by depressing said plunger into said tissue collection tube while said micro-pores are occluded.   
     
     
         7 . A method of injecting a processed tissue sample into a patient using a filled tissue sampling, processing and injection syringe device of  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 (a) removing said cap from said syringe device;   (b) occluding said micro-pores by rotating said micro-pore occluder to said occlusion state;   (c) attaching said cannula to the distal end opening of said tissue collection tube;   (d) inserting said cannula into a patient where correction is required, by depressing said plunger to inject fat into the patient as required.   
     
     
         8 . A method of processing a tissue sample using a filled tissue sampling, processing and injection syringe device of  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 (a) removing said cap from said syringe device;   (b) occluding said micro-pores by rotating said micro-pore occluder to said occlusion state; and   (c) ejecting said tissue sample out of said tissue collection tube, and into a container for the purpose of delivering said tissue sample to a tissue bank.   
     
     
         9 . A tissue sampling, processing and collection device comprises:
 a collection chamber having closed end with a central aperture, and an open end with hollow inner chamber/space disposed between the closed end and the open end;   a removable lid for threaded connection to the open end of the collection chamber, and having a central flow channel terminated in a first connector for connecting the device to vacuum source by way of a first section of vacuum tubing;   a stationary suction plate having multiple hollow projections for supporting the open ends of multiple tissue collection tubes, each having micro-pores or perforations formed in the walls thereof to allow fluid to flow and filter therethrough while in said collection chamber; and   a second connector operably connected to said hollow selector post allowing said tissue sampling, processing and collection device to be directly connected to a hand-held power-assisted tissue aspiration instrument, or indirectly by way of a second section of vacuum tubing, as may be desired by the surgeon.   
     
     
         10 . A method of sampling tissue from a patient using said tissue sampling, processing and collection device of  claim 9 , in conjunction with a hand-held tissue aspiration instrument, comprising the steps of:
 (a) preparing said tissue sampling, processing and collection device for connection in-line with said hand-held power-assisted tissue aspiration instrument;   (b) attaching said tissue sampling, processing and collection device to the outlet port of the hand piece portion of said powered tissue aspiration instrument;   (c) aspirating fat tissue from the patient, until at least one of said tissue collection tubes within said collection chamber are filled with fat tissue; and   (d) aspirating a volume of irrigation solution through said tissue sampling, processing and collection device so as to lavage (i.e. cleanse or wash) said tissue samples contained in said tissue connection tubes, while still contained within the device.   
     
     
         11 . A method of processing aspirated tissue during harvesting using said tissue sampling, processing and collection device of  claim 9 , coupled in-line to said hand-held powered tissue aspiration instrument, comprising the steps of:
 (a) automatically processing (i.e. filtrating, cleansing and concentrating) tissue samples contained within said tissue collection tubes during said tissue aspiration and collection operations;   (b) removing vacuum tubing from said tissue sampling, processing and collection device;   (c) disconnecting said tissue sampling, processing and collection device from said hand-held power tissue aspiration instrument;   (d) removing fat-filled tissue collection tubes from said collection chamber of said tissue sampling, processing and collection device; and   (e) inserting a plunger and piston into the proximal end opening of each capped tissue collection tube, and returning said capped tissue collection tubes to the surgeon for immediate reinjection into the patient, or delivering, plunger up, said fat-filled tissue collection containers to a tissue banking facility.   
     
     
         12 . A method of injecting processed tissue samples into a patient using a fat-filled tissue injection syringe device, constructed using a fat-filled tissue collection tube removed from the tissue sampling, processing and collection device of  claim 9 , comprising the steps of:
 (a) removing said cap from a fat-filled tissue collection tube;   (b) sliding a micro-pore occluder over said fat-filled tissue collection tube so as to cover said micro-pores and snap flange in place, to form a tissue injection syringe device;   (c) attaching a cannula onto the distal tip portion of said tissue injection syringe device for reinjection of harvested and processed tissue sample;.   (d) inserting said cannula into a patient in the area of correction; and   (e) depressing said plunger piston into said tissue collection tube to inject sufficient tissue into the patient to obtain the desired correction.   
     
     
         13 . A tissue sampling, processing and collection device for connected in-line to a hand-held power-assisted tissue aspiration instrument, comprising:
 a collection chamber having closed end with a central aperture, and an open end with hollow inner chamber/space disposed between the closed end and the open end;   a removable lid for connection to the open end of said collection chamber, and having a central flow channel terminated in a first connector connecting said tissue sampling, processing and collection device to a vacuum source by way of vacuum tubing;   a suction plate having multiple hollow projections for supporting the open proximal ends of multiple tissue collection tube, each having micro-pores formed in the side walls thereof to allow fluid to flow and filter therethrough while in said collection chamber, capped with caps;   a rotatable selector for rotational engagement with said stationary suction plate and having a hollow central post section that passes through central aperture and establishes fluid communication with a passage/conduit that extends from center to periphery to control the flow of aspirated fat sample from said hand-held tissue aspiration instrument through said selector and into said tissue collection tube; and   a turning knob mounted on and engaging with said hollow selector post and enabling the turning of said rotatable selector relative to said suction plate to select a tissue collection tube into which an aspirated fat sample should flow for collection and indexing purposes during tissue sampling.   
     
     
         14 . The tissue sampling, processing and collection device of  claim 13 , which further comprises:
 a spring mounted between said turning knob and said hollow selector post to push up the turning knob and keeping said selector at the bottom of said collection chamber; and a second connector connected by threads to said hollow selector post allowing said tissue sampling, processing and collection device to be connected to said hand-held tissue aspiration instrument by way of a section of vacuum tubing.   
     
     
         15 . The tissue sampling, processing and collection device of  claim 13 , wherein said collection chamber is labeled for orientation, indicating the side to said patient and the side to said vacuum source. 
     
     
         16 . The tissue sampling, processing and collection device of  claim 13 , wherein said suction plate has numbers for each of the capped and perforated tissue collection tubes mounted on the projections of said suction plate. 
     
     
         17 . The tissue sampling, processing and collection device of  claim 14 , wherein when surgeon then pushes down on said turning knob against the biasing force of said spring and that pushes said selector slightly forward so said knob can be turned to select which tissue collection tube to collect to, until it is full. 
     
     
         18 . The tissue sampling, processing and collection device of  claim 13 , wherein said selector has a passageway/flow director which extends to the selected tissue collection tube to complete the fluid communication channel, set up by said selector and said director. 
     
     
         19 . The tissue sampling, processing and collection device of  claim 13 , wherein during tissue aspiration operations, an aspirated fat sample flows from the sampled region of the patient, through said hand-held tissue aspiration instrument, through said hollow selector post, through said director, into the selected tissue collection tube supported on said suction plate and capped with said cap; and wherein fat cells are collected within the selected tissue collection tube, while excess fluid is expressed through said micro-pores formed in the selected tissue collection tube, and passed out through said connector towards to said vacuum source.