Device and Method for Breaking Down and Sizing Harvested Fat

Abstract

A fat sizing device includes a first filter element and a second filter element. The first filter element has an exterior formed from a ceramic such as titanium nitride. The second filter element is positioned in series with the first filter element and has an exterior formed from an organic polymer such as a parylene. The first filter element has a first mesh size and the second filter element has a second mesh size different than the first mesh size and may be less than the first mesh size.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for obtaining nanofat from harvested fat comprising:
 displacing harvested fat through a constricted passageway to break down adipose tissue in said harvested fat and emulsify fat particles therein, thereby transforming said harvested fat into a solid-liquid mixture containing fibrous non-fat material and an emulsion of loose fat particles having an emulsified particle size;   displacing said solid-liquid mixture against a first sieve screen, wherein said first sieve screen has a first mesh size selected to prevent at least a portion of said fibrous non-fat material from passing through said first sieve screen such that said portion of said fibrous non-fat material accumulates on an upstream side of said first sieve screen;   displacing said emulsion of loose fat particles through said first sieve screen while said first sieve screen reduces the particle size of said loose fat particles from said emulsified particle size to a sieved particle size smaller than said emulsified particle size as said loose fat particles pass through said first sieve screen;   displacing said emulsion of loose fat particles having said sieved particle size through a second sieve screen while said second sieve screen reduces the particle size of said loose fat particles from said sieved particle size to a nanofat particle size smaller than said sieved particle size as said loose fat particles pass through said second sieve screen; and   recovering said loose fat particles having said nanofat particle size on a downstream side of said second sieve screen as nanofat suitable for injection into a human body.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said harvested fat is displaced multiple passes through said constricted passageway. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said constricted passageway is a first constricted passageway, said constriction diameter is a first constriction diameter and said emulsified particle size is a first emulsified particle size, the method further comprising displacing said solid-liquid mixture through a second constricted passageway having a second constriction diameter less than said first constriction diameter, thereby reducing the particle size of said loose fat particles to a second emulsified particle size smaller than said first emulsified particle size and larger than said sieved particle size and said nanofat particle size. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said harvested fat is displaced multiple passes through said first constricted passageway and said solid-liquid mixture is displaced multiple passes through said second constricted passageway. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second sieve screens are metal screens. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second sieve screens have mesh sizes within a range of about 100 microns to about 1000 microns. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first sieve screen has mesh size larger than said second sieve screen. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first sieve screen is stacked directly against said second sieve screen. 
     
     
         9 . A method for obtaining nanofat from harvested fat comprising:
 displacing harvested fat through a constricted passageway to break down adipose tissue in said harvested fat and emulsify fat particles therein, thereby transforming said harvested fat into a solid-liquid mixture containing fibrous non-fat material and an emulsion of loose fat particles having an emulsified particle size;   displacing said solid-liquid mixture into a fat sizing device comprising:
 a cover including a circular enclosing surface, a first connection member attached to and extending from said circular enclosing surface and a tubular sealing lip aligned circumferentially orthogonal to said circular enclosing surface and extending from said circular enclosing surface in a direction opposite said first connection member, wherein said first connection member has an inlet passage extending therethrough, 
 a base including a fluid passage extending therethrough, a circular upper face, an open circular upper end aligned circumferentially orthogonal to said circular upper face and extending from said circular upper face to define an upper chamber, wherein said open circular upper end threadably engages said tubular sealing lip to enclose said upper chamber, said base further including a second connection member extending from said base in a direction opposite said open circular upper end, wherein said second connection member has an outlet passage extending therethrough and is in fluid communication with said fluid passage, and 
 a sieve screen sealingly situated in said upper chamber between said inlet passage and said fluid passage; 
   displacing said solid-liquid mixture against said sieve screen, wherein said sieve screen has a mesh size selected to prevent at least a portion of said fibrous non-fat material from passing through said sieve screen such that said portion of said fibrous non-fat material accumulates in said upper chamber upstream of said sieve screen;   displacing said emulsion of loose fat particles through said sieve screen into said fluid passage while said sieve screen reduces the particle size of said loose fat particles from said emulsified particle size to a nanofat particle size smaller than said emulsified particle size as said loose fat particles pass through said sieve screen; and   recovering said loose fat particles having said nanofat particle size from said outlet passage downstream side of said sieve screen as nanofat suitable for injection into a human body.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said harvested fat is displaced multiple passes through said constricted passageway. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said constricted passageway is a first constricted passageway, said constriction diameter is a first constriction diameter and said emulsified particle size is a first emulsified particle size, the method further comprising displacing said solid-liquid mixture through a second constricted passageway having a second constriction diameter less than said first constriction diameter, thereby reducing the particle size of said loose fat particles to a second emulsified particle size smaller than said first emulsified particle size and larger than said nanofat particle size. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said harvested fat is displaced multiple passes through said first constricted passageway and said solid-liquid mixture is displaced multiple passes through said second constricted passageway. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said sieve screen is a metal screen. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said sieve screen has a mesh size within a range of about 100 microns to about 1000 microns. 
     
     
         15 . A method for obtaining nanofat from harvested fat comprising:
 displacing harvested fat through a constricted passageway having a constriction diameter to break down adipose tissue in said harvested fat and emulsify fat particles therein, thereby transforming said harvested fat into a solid-liquid mixture containing fibrous non-fat material and an emulsion of loose fat particles having an emulsified particle size;   displacing said solid-liquid mixture against a sieve screen, wherein said sieve screen has a mesh size selected to prevent at least a portion of said fibrous non-fat material from passing through said sieve screen such that said portion of said fibrous non-fat material accumulates on an upstream side of said sieve screen;   displacing said emulsion of loose fat particles through said sieve screen while said sieve screen reduces the particle size of said loose fat particles from said emulsified particle size to a nanofat particle size smaller than said emulsified particle size as said loose fat particles pass through said sieve screen; and   recovering said loose fat particles having said nanofat particle size on a downstream side of said sieve screen as nanofat suitable for injection into a human body.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said harvested fat is displaced multiple passes through said constricted passageway. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said constricted passageway is a first constricted passageway, said constriction diameter is a first constriction diameter and said emulsified particle size is a first emulsified particle size, the method further comprising displacing said solid-liquid mixture through a second constricted passageway having a second constriction diameter less than said first constriction diameter, thereby reducing the particle size of said loose fat particles to a second emulsified particle size smaller than said first emulsified particle size and larger than said nanofat particle size. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said harvested fat is displaced multiple passes through said first constricted passageway and said solid-liquid mixture is displaced multiple passes through said second constricted passageway. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said sieve screen is a metal screen. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said sieve screen has a mesh size within a range of about 100 microns to about 1000 microns.