Fabric prosthesis for repairing a tissue wall defect in proximity of a tube-like structure

Abstract

Implantable prostheses for repairing soft tissue defects near an anatomical tube and methods for their manufacture are described. Exemplary prostheses may be implanted at a soft tissue repair site, for example, in treating an inguinal hernia. An implantable prosthesis may include a patch made up of two co-knit fabric layers, and a passageway for receiving an anatomical cord extending through the fabric layers. The passageway is configured through the first fabric layer so as to minimize the prospects of the cord-like structure contacting the portion of the second fabric layer defining the passageway therethrough. The passageway through the first fabric layer may include a barrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An implantable prosthesis for repairing a tissue wall defect near a tube-like structure, comprising:
 a first fabric layer;   a second fabric layer;   a passageway through the first and second layers that is adapted to receive a tube-like structure;   wherein the first and second fabric layers are stacked together and each has a medial edge, a lateral edge, a superior edge, and an inferior edge, respective medial and lateral edges are substantially coincident, and the inferior edge and superior edge of the first fabric layer are spaced inwardly from the respective inferior edge and superior edge of the second fabric layer.   
     
     
         2 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the passageway through the first fabric layer is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the passageway through the second fabric layer. 
     
     
         3 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein an edge of the passageway through the first fabric layer includes a barrier. 
     
     
         4 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 3 , wherein the barrier juts out from an edge defining an opening through the first fabric layer 
     
     
         5 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 3 , wherein the barrier is a composite of barrier and the first fabric layer. 
     
     
         6 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 3 , wherein the barrier includes a gelatinous barrier. 
     
     
         7 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 6 , wherein the gelatinous barrier includes hyaluronic acid, carboxymethyl cellulose, polyethylene glycol, collagen, omega fatty acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 3 , wherein the second fabric layer does not further include a barrier. 
     
     
         9 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 3 , wherein a barrier is included in selected portions of a surface of the first fabric layer. 
     
     
         10 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 3 , further including a plurality of bioactive agent loaded microspheres dispersed within the barrier. 
     
     
         11 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 1 , further including a slit extending from the passageway to an edge of the prosthesis. 
     
     
         12 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein a width of the first fabric layer is narrower than a width of the second fabric layer. 
     
     
         13 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the first fabric layer is resorbable. 
     
     
         14 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the second fabric layer is nonresorbable. 
     
     
         15 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second fabric layers are co-knit together. 
     
     
         16 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 3 , wherein the barrier includes a plurality of flaps that extend across the passageway. 
     
     
         17 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second fabric layers are in the form of a patch. 
     
     
         18 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 1 , including similarly sized openings in the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer that align to form the passageway. 
     
     
         19 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 1 , including an opening in the first fabric layer and an opening in the second fabric layer, wherein a cross-sectional area of the opening in the first fabric layer is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the opening in the second fabric layer, the passageway running through the first and second openings. 
     
     
         20 . The implantable prosthesis of  claim 3 , wherein the barrier is arranged to cover at least part of the passageway through the second fabric layer in response to the presence of the tube-like structure in the passageway through the first fabric layer.