Surgery – Instruments – Cutting – puncturing or piercing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-10
2001-08-07
Thaler, Michael H. (Department: 3731)
Surgery
Instruments
Cutting, puncturing or piercing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270511
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to devices for transplantation of hair grafts. More particularly, the present invention relates to a template adapted to minimize corruption of graft sites during transplantation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In transplantation of hair grafts, as is presently known, live hair grafts are cultivated from a region such as at the hair line at the back of the neck and are transplanted where desired at locations on the scalp. To provide a natural look in locations on the scalp, it is desired to place grafts in closely adjacent sites in a pre-determined pattern. Because of the close proximity of the sites, several sessions may be required. For example, one session may place some grafts and then several weeks later, after the previous grafts and the incisions to receive the same have healed, a second session places grafts between those previously positioned. Corruption may occur when the incision is made to receive a graft with the incision encroaching upon a previously positioned graft. If a graft has been placed and the incision for the next adjacent site is too near, the incisions may invade and corrupt the tissues supporting the previous graft damaging the graft, disturbing the graft pattern, delaying healing or increasing the risk of infection. Hence, multiple sessions are typically required.
To implant grafts, it is known to incise the tissue and to individually position grafts in the incisions. Additionally, I have invented a system which incises and dilates the tissue with a catheter and thereafter moves the graft through the catheter into the graft site as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,308. Where a singular catheter or tube or multiple catheter/incisions are used, it may be necessary to make multiple “strikes” to incise, dilate and transplant grafts f or closely adjacent sites to obtain the desired transplantation pattern. The closeness of the sites presents a challenge to avoid corruption of the previously placed grafts.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device which can protect previously placed grafts from corruption when closely adjacent grafts are placed.
Further, there is a need for the device which can assist in obtaining the desired graft patterns and which provides the desired protective effect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
There is, therefore, set forth according to the present invention a template for use in placing hair grafts in tissue. The template has a body with an upper and lower surface and a plurality of openings therethrough each adapted to pass a transplantation catheter for implantation of a graft into the tissue. Projections are provided on the bottom surface of the body to rest upon and cover previously transplanted grafts to hold them in position, support the tissue and thereby resist corruption thereof by the subsequent incising, dilation and transplantations of grafts through the template.
In a specific embodiment, a template for use in transplanting hair grafts at pre-determined pattern of N graft sites arranged in a pre-determined pattern using a catheter to dilate and guide a graft into the site comprises a planar body having an upper and lower surface and N/2 openings therethrough to pass the catheter for placement of the grafts into the tissue. A plurality of projections are disposed on a lower surface between the openings, the projections adapted to press down upon previously placed grafts to hold them in position and support the tissue. The projections are disposed such that a first set of grafts are transplanted through the openings defined by the template into graft sites and the body is moved or indexed such that the projections cover the first transplant set and the openings are disposed for transplantation of a next set of grafts in locations between the sites defined by the first set of grafts.
The template not only provides a pattern guide for the placement of the grafts but covers, holds and supports the previously placed grafts so that incising, dilating and placement of the next adjacent graft is less likely to corrupt the first set of grafts.
REFERENCES:
patent: 269039 (1882-12-01), French
patent: 1411973 (1922-04-01), Mahoney
patent: 1542427 (1925-06-01), Wardell
patent: 3831202 (1974-08-01), Hulsen
patent: 4731279 (1988-03-01), Isshiki
patent: 5500270 (1996-03-01), Langdon et al.
patent: 5643308 (1997-07-01), Markman
Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP
Thaler Michael H.
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