Scaffolds with viable tissue

Abstract

A composite implant is provided for repairing a tissue defect in a patient. In one embodiment, the implant is a porous tissue scaffold having at least one pocket formed therein and adapted to contain a viable tissue. The tissue scaffold can have a variety of configurations, and in one embodiment it includes top and bottom portions that can be at least partially mated to one another, and in an exemplary embodiment that are heated sealed to one another around a perimeter thereof to form an enclosed pocket therebetween. The pocket is preferably sealed with a viable tissue disposed therein. In another embodiment, the tissue scaffold is substantially wedge-shaped and the pocket comprises a hollow interior formed in the tissue scaffold, and/or at least one lumen extending into the tissue scaffold. The tissue scaffold can also optionally include at least one surface feature formed thereof to promote blood vessel formation.

1 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . A medical method, comprising:
 mincing viable tissue comprising naturally occurring cells and their extracellular matrix to form finely minced tissue fragments and loading the finely minced tissue fragments into a tissue scaffold; and   implanting the tissue scaffold with the finely minced tissue fragments disposed therein at a defect site in a patient's body such that native tissue surrounding the tissue scaffold abuts the opening in the pocket to maintain the finely minced tissue fragments therein.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising the step of applying at least one bioactive substance to the tissue fragments to stimulate cell growth. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the bioactive substance is selected from the group consisting of a blood clots, platelet rich plasma, cartilage-derived morphogenic proteins, recombinant human growth factors, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the tissue scaffold is substantially wedge-shaped;
 the finely minced tissue fragments are loaded into a pocket of a tissue scaffold;   the pocket is the only pocket formed in the tissue scaffold; and   the pocket comprises a hollow interior formed in the tissue scaffold.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the tissue scaffold is substantially wedge-shaped;
 the finely minced tissue fragments are loaded into a pocket of a tissue scaffold;   the pocket is the only pocket formed in the tissue scaffold; and   the pocket is one lumen extending into the tissue scaffold.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the tissue scaffold includes an upper layer and a lower layer; and
 the finely minced tissue fragments are loaded into the tissue scaffold so as to be sandwiched between the upper layer and the lower layer.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising, after loading the finely minced tissue fragments into the tissue scaffold and before the implanting of the tissue scaffold, sealing the upper layer and the lower layer around an entire perimeter thereof. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the tissue scaffold is implanted at the defect site without the upper layer and the lower layer being sealed together. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the tissue fragment has a thickness in the range from about 200 um to about than 3 mm; and
 the tissue fragment has a particle size in the range from about 0.5 mm 3  to about 3 mm 3 .   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the viable tissue is one of meniscal tissue and cartilage tissue. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein cells from the viable tissue in the pocket of the scaffold populate at least a portion of the scaffold. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein at least a portion of the scaffold is populated with cells from the native tissue following implantation. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the tissue scaffold is formed only of at least one natural polymer. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the at least one natural polymer includes at least one of a fibrin-based material, a collagen-based material, a hyaluronic acid-based material, a glycoprotein-based material, a cellulose-based material, and silk. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the tissue scaffold is formed from a bioresorbable, synthetic polymeric material. 
     
     
         57 . A medical device, comprising:
 a porous tissue scaffold including an upper layer and a lower layer that is sealed to the upper layer; and   finely minced fragments of viable tissue comprising naturally occurring cells and their extracellular matrix, the naturally occurring cells and their extracellular matrix being native to the viable tissue;   wherein the finely minced fragments of viable tissue are loaded in a central open area of the tissue scaffold located between the upper layer and the lower layer.   
     
     
         58 . The device of  claim 57 , wherein the upper layer and the lower layer are sealed together around an entire perimeter thereof. 
     
     
         59 . The device of  claim 57 , wherein the tissue scaffold is substantially wedge-shaped;
 the tissue scaffold has a first side, a second side opposed to the first side, a top, and a bottom opposed to the top; and   the upper layer and the lower layer are sealed together at an end of the tissue scaffold so as to connect the top, the bottom, the first side, and the second side of the tissue scaffold.   
     
     
         60 . The device of  claim 57 , wherein the viable tissue is viable cartilage tissue. 
     
     
         61 . The device of  claim 57 , wherein the viable tissue is viable meniscal tissue.