Co.don Ag

Horst Laube

Martin Matthaeus

Helmut Willenbockel

Oliver Roehe

Erika Nickel

In a method for inserting an implant, such as a biological or artificial heart valve into a human organ, first the implant is provided with an adapter element, then a receiver element that is adapted to fit the adapter element is sutured to the recipient organ, and finally the adapter element is connected to the receiver element. The receiver element and the adapter element are each ring-shaped and are provided with matched interengageable threadings. They are connected with one another by relative rotation via a self-locking bayonet lock. Before being connected to the receiver element, the implant together with the adapter element are coated with living cells. Both the receiver element and the adapter element respectively have flanges that include elements for being sutured together with the recipient organ or the implant.

Method and device for inserting implants into human organs

To coat a surface of a medical implant such as an organ part or a synthetic prosthesis with a coating of living cells, the implant is inserted and fixed into a receiving container which is at least partially filled with a nutritive liquid medium containing the coating cells in suspension. Then the receiving container is rotated respectively about two distinct rotation axes, whereby preferably the two rotation motions are independently controllable and the two axes are substantially perpendicular to each other. Each of the two rotation motions can be a continuous rotation through 360&deg;, or a stepwise intermittent rotation through successive rotational angle steps. The parameters of the two rotations about the two axes can be combined as needed for a particular application, for example a continuous rotation about one axis combined with a stepwise rotation about the other axis. The time period and rotational speed of each rotation can also be independently controlled. A uniform and complete coating of cells on all surfaces of the implant is achieved.

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Berlin, Germany

Horst Laube