A system for redistributing interstitial fluid within a mammal is disclosed. The system comprises an implantable accumulation chamber, a confined flow passageway such as a catheter in communication with the accumulation chamber, and a liquid transfer pump for dispensing accumulated interstitial fluid from the accumulation chamber to a predetermined body site via the confined flow passageway.

A process for respiratory rehabilitation treatment, the process comprises treating a patient with a laser, resurfacing the treatment location by applying pulses of laser light. The process comprises treating a patient with administering an injection, injecting a primary injection solution into an injection location and injecting a secondary injection solution comprises at least a concentrate solution into an injection location. This process treats patients with breathing difficulties with injection of PRP and/or PRF into the soft palate and surrounding tissue. The treatment may be combined with CO2 and/or Nd-YAG laser treatment.

An implantable containment apparatus for receiving and retaining a biological moiety or a therapeutic device within a tissue bed is disclosed. The device includes a shaping element to maintain the device in a generally toroidal configuration and to return the apparatus to that configuration after deformation. The apparatus can be placed in a host tissue with minimal trauma to the patient. Methods for implanting and using the apparatus are also disclosed.

Apparatus for delivering material into a patient includes a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end. Material, preferably of filamentary or thread form, is fed from a material supply into a Y-fitting having a main branch and a side branch. The side branch is connected to a source of driving fluid able to feed drive fluid under pressure into the material carrier so as to pull material forwardly and out of the distal end of the catheter. The assembly includes an inner cannula within which material is passed from the material source. This increases the speed of delivery of material though the device and reduces the amount of drive fluid which is required.

A tissue separating device (100) is provided. The tissue separating device (100) includes a canister device (20) including a canister body (21) defining a volume. A tissue retrieval port (36) can be arranged on the canister device (20) and is capable of being arranged in fluid communication with a harvesting device (300) for directing a fatty liposuction aspirate into the volume of the canister device (20). An adjustable height filtration mesh assembly (50) can be arranged within the canister body (21) and can include a filtering mesh (62). A tissue harvesting port (24) can be arranged in the sidewall of the canister body (21) and can be capable of being arranged in communication with a collection device (400) to allow the tissue harvesting port (24) to atraumatically receive a filtered pure fat collected on the filtering mesh (62). The filtration mesh assembly (50) can be movably arranged within the canister body (21) such that the filtering mesh (62) is adjustable with respect to the tissue harvesting port (24).

A method for filtering blood is disclosed that in one embodiment includes the steps of depositing unfiltered blood along at least one side of a semi-permeable surface having multiple pores, depositing target tissue along at least an opposing side of the semi-permeable surface, and permitting the unfiltered blood to flow at least partially along the semi-permeable surface to filter the unfiltered blood. Embodiments of the invention can remove self-directed autoantibodies from the blood while reducing the complications of conventional treatments such as plasmaphoresis, and return the patient's own blood cells and its plasma components, less the disease-causing self-directed antibodies. A blood filter and a blood bag are also disclosed.

Provided herein is a cell encapsulation device comprising an internal chamber suitable for holding biological agents, wherein the internal chamber is disposed between a first semipermeable layer and a second semi-permeable layer, and the first and second semi-permeable layers are mounted on a supporting frame surrounding a perimeter of the internal chamber; wherein the supporting frame comprises a first frame element and a second frame element, and the first and second frame elements co-operate to position the first and second semipermeable layers at a predetermined separation distance between the layers.

The present invention provides for methods and devices suitable for producing a transplantable cellular suspension of living tissue suitable for grafting to a patient. In applying the method and/or in using the device, donor tissue is harvested, subjected to a cell dissociation treatment, cells suitable for grafting back to a patient are collected and dispersed in a solution that is suitable for immediate dispersion over the recipient graft site.

The present invention provides a loading fixture for loading cells, cell clusters, and media to an immune-isolation device. The loading fixture permits the loading of cells into the immune-isolation device without manual manipulation of the immune-isolation device, until the loading device is opened at the point of use, thereby minimizing the risk of contamination of the immune-isolation device.

The present invention provides a loading fixture for loading cells, cell clusters, and media to an immune-isolation device. The loading fixture permits the loading of cells into the immune-isolation device without manual manipulation of the immune-isolation device, until the loading device is opened at the point of use, thereby minimizing the risk of contamination of the immune-isolation device.