Device and method for breaking down and sizing harvested fat

{
  "publication_number": "US10927347B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "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.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A fat sizing device comprising: a housing including: a cover including a circular enclosing surface from which a tubular sealing lip extends that is aligned circumferentially orthogonal to said enclosing surface, and a first connection member defining an inlet passage attached to said cover; a base including: a dividing member including a fluid passage extending therethrough; an open circular upper end extending from an upper end of said dividing member and defining an upper chamber in fluid communication with said fluid passage, wherein an exterior of said open circular upper end threadably engages an interior of said tubular sealing lip, to enclose said upper chamber; an open lower end extending and widening from a lower end of said dividing member to define a lower chamber; and a second connection member defining an outlet passage extending therethrough and being in fluid communication with said fluid passage, wherein said second connection member extends from said lower end of said dividing member and is narrower than said open lower end to be situated within said lower chamber; and a filter cartridge sealingly situated in said upper chamber between said inlet passage and said fluid passage, such that only material capable of passing through said filter cartridge passes through said upper chamber into said fluid passage.",
    "2. The fat sizing device of claim 1, wherein said filter cartridge includes a first filter element and a second filter element.",
    "3. The fat sizing device of claim 2, wherein said first filter element has an exterior formed from a first material that is different from a second material that forms an exterior of said second filter element.",
    "4. The fat sizing device of claim 3, wherein said first material is a ceramic and said second material is an organic polymer.",
    "5. The fat sizing device of claim 4, wherein said ceramic is titanium nitride.",
    "6. The fat sizing device of claim 4, wherein said organic polymer is a parylene.",
    "7. The fat sizing device of claim 2, wherein said first filter element has a first mesh size and said second filter element has second mesh size different than said first mesh size.",
    "8. The fat sizing device of claim 7, wherein said first mesh size is greater than said second mesh size.",
    "9. The fat sizing device of claim 1, wherein an outside surface of said tubular sealing lip is knurled to facilitate gripping it.",
    "10. The fat sizing device of claim 1, wherein an outside surface of said open lower end is knurled to facilitate gripping it.",
    "11. The fat sizing device of claim 1, wherein said first connection member, is fitted with a Luer coupler for coupling with a syringe.",
    "12. The fat sizing device of claim 1, wherein said second connection member, is fitted with a Luer coupler for coupling with a syringe."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This a non-provisional patent application claiming the priority of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/162,367 and 62/162,389, both filed on May 15, 2015, which are incorporated herein by reference.\n\nThe present invention relates generally to plastic surgery, more particularly to cosmetic surgery and still more particularly to fat transfer.\n\nFat transfer, also known as fat grafting, entails two procedures performed in series. In the first fat transfer procedure known as fat harvesting, fat is removed and recovered from one or more fatty sites on the body of a patient, such as the thighs or stomach, by any number of techniques including liposuction or lipoplasty. The harvested fat is a complex, multi-component mixture comprised of mature adipocytes, precursor adipocytes, other precursor cells and lipids from ruptured mature adipocytes. Adipocytes are the primary cells in adipose tissue, which is the loose connective tissue in the body where most fat resides. As connective tissue, adipose tissue also includes fibers, fiber fragments and other non-fat material in addition to the adipocytes. Lipids are molecules including fat molecules which may be simplistically characterized as loose fat or fat particles. Harvested fat may be categorized by size as macrofat, microfat or nanofat in descending order of particle size.\n\nIn the second fat transfer procedure known as fat re-injection, the harvested fat is re-injected into the body of the same patient, but into one or more different sites on the body from where the fat was harvested.",
  "cpc": [
    "C12N 5/0653",
    "A61M 1/00",
    "A61M 1/88",
    "A61M 1/892",
    "A61M 2202/08",
    "A61M 2205/7545",
    "C12M 45/02"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B01D 29/56",
    "B01D 43/00",
    "C12M 1/00",
    "C12M 1/26",
    "C12N 5/077",
    "A61M 1/00",
    "C12M 1/33"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Black Tie Medical Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Mary L. Pilkington",
    "Mariano C. Riego de Dios"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-05-13",
  "publication_date": "2021-02-23",
  "grant_date": "2021-02-23",
  "priority_date": "2015-05-15",
  "application_number": "US-201615154885-A",
  "family_id": "57276923",
  "cited_by_count": 7,
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