Flowable tissue products

Abstract

The present disclosure provides tissue fillers. The tissue fillers can include a plurality of tissue particles formed from acellular tissue matrix fragments. The tissue fillers can be used to fill tissue sites, such as voids formed after tissue resection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tissue product, comprising:
 a plurality of dry tissue matrix particles that form a flowable mass configured to fill and conform to a tissue site, wherein the particles have a radius between about 1 mm and 5 mm, wherein the tissue matrix particles each comprise a plurality of tissue matrix fragments having a length between about 5 μm and 300 μm, and wherein the tissue matrix fragments are joined to one another to form the tissue matrix particles.   
     
     
         2 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue matrix particles include dermal tissue matrix particles. 
     
     
         3 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue matrix particles include porcine tissue matrix particles. 
     
     
         4 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the particles swell when contacted with water. 
     
     
         5 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the particles are substantially spherical. 
     
     
         6 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the particles are configured to fill a void or pocket in a tissue site. 
     
     
         7 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the particles are dried. 
     
     
         8 . The tissue product of  claim 7 , wherein the particles are freeze-dried. 
     
     
         9 . The tissue product of  claim 7 , wherein the particles are dried by a dehydrothermal cross-linking process. 
     
     
         10 . The tissue product of  claim 7 , wherein the particles are concurrently freeze-dried and treated with a dehydrothermal cross-linking process. 
     
     
         11 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the fragments are formed into particles by joining the fragments without use of a binder or adhesive. 
     
     
         12 . The tissue product of  claim 11 , wherein the fragments are joined by convective drying. 
     
     
         13 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the particles each have a length between about 2 mm and 3 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the fragments are cross-linked to one another. 
     
     
         15 . The tissue product of  claim 14 , wherein the fragments are cross-linked to one another using a dehydrothermal crosslinking process. 
     
     
         16 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the fragments comprise elongated strands of tissue matrix. 
     
     
         17 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the particles include acellular tissue matrix particles. 
     
     
         18 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the fragments comprise frayed ends that interlock with one another. 
     
     
         19 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the particles are sterilized with e-beam radiation. 
     
     
         20 . The tissue product of  claim 1 , wherein the particles form a porous structure with open channels between each of the particles that can support cellular ingrowth and vascularization.