In Vivo Tissue Engineering Devices, Methods and Regenerative and Cellular Medicine Employing Scaffolds Made of Absorbable Material

Abstract

Tissue engineering devices and methods employing scaffolds made of absorbable material for use in the human body for tissue genesis and regenerative and cellular medicine including breast reconstruction and cosmetic and aesthetic procedures and supplementing organ function in vivo.

Claims

1. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia of the human body comprising a scaffold made of porous absorbable material having a proximal portion for positioning within the fascia, a distal portion spaced from said proximal portion, a hollow central core extending between said proximal portion and said distal portion, and a sidewall surrounding said hollow central core; and a plurality of partially open, tissue engineering chambers formed in said side wall and radially arranged around said hollow central core, said tissue engineering chambers having an aggregate surface area greater than the fascia surface area in the anatomical space.

2. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia of the human body as recited in claim 1 wherein said scaffold is made of one or more sheets of said porous absorbable material and said tissue engineering chambers are formed by one or more pleats in said one or more sheets of said absorbable material.

3. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 1 wherein said proximal portion includes a disc-like end surface with an opening therein communicating with said hollow central core.

4. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 3 wherein said distal portion includes a disc-like end surface with an opening therein communicating with said hollow central core.

5. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 4 and further comprising detachable tubing extending around said disc-like end surface of said proximal portion with holes therein and a pump coupled with said tubing to create negative pressure in said scaffold and drain excess fluid.

6. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 5 and further comprising a layer of short term absorbable material disposed on said disc-like end surface of said distal portion for temporary attachment of fibroblasts to create an extracellular protein matrix, said short term absorbable material degrading before degrading of said scaffold porous absorbable material.

7. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 6 wherein said tissue engineering chambers contain said short term absorbable material therein.

8. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 7 wherein said short term absorbable material is a cellulose matrix.

9. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 1 and further comprising tubing with holes therein carried by said proximal portion of said scaffold and a pump coupled with said tubing to create negative pressure in said scaffold and drain excess fluid.

10. A tissue engineering method comprising the steps of implanting a scaffold made of porous absorbable material in fascia in the human body, the scaffold including a proximal portion, a distal portion spaced from the proximal portion and an intermediate portion extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion, the intermediate portion having a plurality of outwardly facing partially open compartments forming tissue engineering chambers for the scaffold and the intermediate portion defining a hollow inner region for the scaffold, said implanting step including anchoring the proximal portion of the scaffold to the fascia: inserting autologous tissue in the tissue engineering chambers; pulling a vascular flap pedicle of the fascia along with the blood vessels into the hollow inner region of the scaffold; and positioning the vascular flap pedicle in the distal portion of the scaffold to position the blood vessels along the hollow inner region to provide capillary blood supply to the autologous tissue in the tissue engineering chambers.

11. A tissue engineering method as recited in claim 10 wherein the autologous tissue is liposuctioned fat.

12. A tissue engineering method as recited in claim 11 wherein said fat inserting step is performed prior to said implanting step.

13. A tissue engineering method as recited in claim 11 wherein said fat inserting step is performed after said implanting step.

14. A tissue engineering method as recited in claim 11 wherein said fat inserting step is performed prior to and after said implanting step.

15. A tissue engineering method as recited in claim 11 and further comprising the step of creating negative pressure in the scaffold.

16. A tissue engineering method as recited in claim 11 and further comprising the step of filling the tissue engineering chambers with loose felt cellulose matrix prior to said fat inserting step.

17. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body comprising a scaffold made of porous absorbable material having a proximal portion for positioning within the fascia, a distal portion spaced from said proximal portion, a central core extending between said proximal portion and said distal portion, and a sidewall surrounding said central core, said side wall being formed by a plurality of adjacent rings of tissue engineering chambers, each of said rings including a plurality of partially open tissue engineering chambers radially arranged around said central core.

18. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia of the human body as recited in claim 17 wherein said scaffold is made of one or more pleated sheets of said porous absorbable mesh material to form said tissue engineering chambers.

19. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 18 wherein in said one or more pleated sheets are folded to form a bottom for said tissue engineering chambers with opposing panels extending from said bottom to form walls for a lower one of said tissue engineering chambers and said panels are fixed to each other at a location defining a top for said lower one of said tissue engineering chambers.

20. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 19 wherein said panels extend from said location away from said lower one of said tissue engineering chambers to form an upper tissue engineering chamber above said lower one of said tissue engineering chambers, said lower ones of said tissue engineering chambers forming one of said rings and said upper tissue engineering chambers forming another of said rings of tissue engineering chambers adjacent said one ring.

21. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 16 wherein said plurality of rings are arranged in tiers having decreasing diameters whereby said side wall is tapered and said scaffold has a frustoconical-like configuration.

22. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 17 wherein said central core is hollow.

23. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 22 wherein said plurality of rings have substantially the same diameter whereby said scaffold has a tubular configuration.

24. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 22 wherein said rings vary in diameter to create a spherical-like configuration.

25. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 22 wherein said rings vary in diameter to create a hemispherical-like configuration.

26. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in fascia in the human body as recited in claim 22 wherein said scaffold includes a disc disposed at the end of said proximal portion with an opening therein and a disc disposed at the end of said distal portion with an opening therein and said openings in said discs are aligned with said hollow central core.

27. A tissue engineering device for implant in the breast of the human body comprising a scaffold having a base portion, an apex portion spaced from said base portion and a hollow inner region extending between said base portion and said apex portion, said base portion having a crosswise dimension and said apex portion having a crosswise dimension less than said crosswise dimension of said base portion, and a plurality of tissue engineering chambers arranged around said hollow inner region to form a tapering sidewall for said scaffold, said scaffold being formed of absorbable mesh material allowing arterial and tissue ingrowth in said tissue engineering chambers and in said hollow inner region.

28. A tissue engineering device for implant in the human body as recited in claim 27 and further comprising detachable suction tubing disposed adjacent said base portion to create negative pressure in said scaffold.

29. A tissue engineering device for implant in the breast of the human body comprising a scaffold having a truncated geometrical shape with a base, an apex axially spaced from said base and a side wall tapering from said base to said apex; a hollow core extending between said base and said apex; a plurality of tissue engineering chambers arranged around said core; and said scaffold being formed of one or more mesh sheets of absorbable material allowing ingrowth of tissue and blood vessels in said tissue engineering chambers and in said hollow core.

30. The tissue engineering device for implant in the breast of the human body as recited in claim 29 wherein said scaffold includes a plurality of L-shaped tubular struts made of absorbable material each having a leg disposed in said hollow core and extending to said apex and a leg extending radially therefrom to the periphery of said side wall at said base.

31. A tissue engineering device for implant in the breast of the human body as recited in claim 29 wherein said side wall has a rugose shape forming said tissue engineering chambers.

32. A tissue engineering device for implant in an anatomical space in the human breast after a lumpectomy comprising a scaffold made of porous absorbable material and having a spherical-type shape with a hollow central core and a plurality of partially open, tissue engineering chambers disposed around said central core, said tissue engineering chambers being arranged to accommodate tissue ingrowth and adipogenesis whereby the outer shape of said scaffold substantially matches the shape of the anatomical space in the breast.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the in vivo tissue engineering device of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a top view of the tissue engineering device of FIG. 1.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a broken perspective view illustrating a method of fabrication of the tissue engineering device of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a broken perspective view illustrating implant of a tissue engineering device of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a broken perspective view illustrating implant of a tissue engineering device of the present invention in the breast after mastectomy.

[0029] FIGS. 6 and 7 are top perspective and bottom plan views, respectively, of a tissue engineering device of the present invention modified to include a layer of absorbable material on a disc-like distal end surface and detachable tubing on a disc-like proximal end surface.

[0030] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a tissue engineering device of the present invention with short term absorbable material in the tissue engineering chambers.

[0031] FIGS. 9 and 10 are broken perspective views of a tissue engineering device of the present invention used for supplementing kidney function.

[0032] FIGS. 11 and 12 are side views of tissue engineering devices of the present invention having varying profiles.

[0033] FIG. 13 is a side view of a tissue engineering device of the present invention having a tubular configuration.

[0034] FIG. 14 is a side view of a tissue engineering device of the present invention having a spherical-like configuration for implant after a lumpectomy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] An in vivo tissue engineering device 20 according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and includes a scaffold 22 made of one or more sheets of mesh absorbable material which is, by nature, porous. The scaffold has a wide base or proximal portion 24, a narrower apex or distal portion 26 and a tapering, sidewall 28 extending between the base portion and the apex portion. The sidewall 28 is formed by a plurality of partially open, tissue engineering chambers 30 such that the sidewall has a rugose configuration formed by pleats or folds of the one or more sheets of absorbable material. The scaffold has a hollow inner region 29 which can be formed by a central core 32 extending between the base portion and the apex portion. If required by size, volume and stability, a plurality of L-shaped tubular struts 34 made of absorbable material can be radially arranged on the scaffold with legs extending through the core and bent 900 to terminate adjacent the perimeter of the base portion. As shown, the scaffold has a truncated geometrical shape designed to be placed in the body in a position where the base portion is adjacent bodily tissue to define a fixation or anchoring location where the scaffold is supported and the apex portion is spaced from the fixation location. When the tissue engineering device is used for breast procedures, such as breast reconstruction or augmentation (e.g. after mastectomy, implant replacement, mastopexy and other breast procedures), the scaffold can have a truncated shape similar to a brassiere cup such that the shape of the scaffold can be considered to be a frustoconical-like or pyramidal-like three-dimensional structure.

[0036] The scaffold can be made of one or more pleated sheets of mesh absorbable material or can be molded of porous absorbable material to be unitary in nature as described above. A segment 36 of the absorbable material forming the side wall 28 is shown in FIG. 3. The pleated sheets of absorbable material are folded as shown at the bottom 38 to form the tissue engineering chambers 30, each of which is defined by opposing panels 39 extending from the bottom to form interior walls. Adjacent sheets or panels of absorbable material can be fixed or connected as shown at 40 to form sub-segment tissue engineering chambers 30 and 30. If the scaffold is not molded or otherwise unitarily formed, the connection shown at 40 can be achieved by welding to attach all points of contact in the structure. The connection of adjacent tissue engineering chambers creates a contiguous outer surface for the scaffold and stabilizes the compression and tensioning forces exerted on the scaffold by bodily tissue to achieve a floating equilibrium or tensegrity via the non-rigid tissue engineering chambers. Once fat has grown into the tissue engineering chambers, the fat will cooperate with the structure of the scaffold to create biotensegrity. The struts 34 are used if extra support is required due to the weight of tissue in the scaffold, and preferably the struts should terminate below the end surface of the distal portion and not extend beyond the perimeter of the and disc surface of the proximal portion. Additional tissue engineering chambers 30V are formed in the spaces between panels 39 of adjacent tissue engineering chambers. Accordingly, the aggregate surface area of the mesh absorbable material provided by the tissue engineering chambers will be substantially greater than the fascia surface area in the anatomical space in which the tissue engineering device is implanted as can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. As noted above, the tissue engineering chambers 30 are formed or divided into sub-segments 30 and 30, and the sub-segments increase the stability of shape of the scaffold, due to tensegrity, and support the over-all volume of adipose tissue engineering required to perform breast reconstruction. The tissue engineering chambers each, desirably, generates an average of 5 cc of adipogenesis such that a scaffold having fifty tissue engineering chambers allows the transplant of 250 cc with no fat necrosis. In the scaffold employed in the tissue engineering device embodiment of FIG. 1, the chambers 30 would hold 7 ccs of fat, the chambers/sub-segments 30 would hold 5 ccs of fat and the chambers/sub-segments 30 would hold 3 ccs of fat. The number of tissue engineering chambers/sub-segments depends on the stability provided by the L-shaped struts and the amount of absorbable material desired. The tissue engineering chambers/sub-segments are each arranged in a ring such that the scaffold is formed of a plurality of rings of tissue engineering chambers to form various geometric configurations for the scaffold. Looking at FIG. 2, tissue engineering chambers 30 form an outer ring, tissue engineering chambers 30 form an intermediate ring and tissue engineering chambers 30 form an inner ring. For example, the plurality of rings can be arranged in tiers having decreasing diameters such that the sidewall 28 is tapered and the scaffold has a frustoconical-like configuration. Where the plurality of rings has substantially the same diameter, the scaffold will have a tubular/cylindrical configuration as shown in FIG. 13. Hemispherical-like and spherical-like configurations can be achieved by varying the diameter of the rings. A spherical-like configuration can also be achieved by securing two hemispherical-like scaffolds together as shown in FIG. 14. The proximal portion 24 of the scaffold has a disc-like end surface 42 and the distal portion 26 of the scaffold has a disc-like end surface 44, both end surfaces being made of absorbable material. In the truncated geometrical shape shown in FIG. 1, the end surfaces 42 and 44 are disposed at the base and apex, respectively, of the scaffold and have openings 46 and 48 therein, respectively, aligned with hollow central core 32.

[0037] A tissue engineering method according to the present invention will be described in connection with a breast procedure after mastectomy and with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. It is important that the anatomical space in fascia, i.e. the mastectomy defect, be stented and held open to prevent scar contracture of the wound which is prohibitive to fat regeneration, i.e. adipogenesis. In order for adipogenesis to take place, a low tissue tension is required, and a nearby capillary blood supply is needed. The tissue engineering method comprises the steps of implanting scaffold 22 in the anatomical space in the fascia 50 created during the mastectomy, anchoring the proximal portion of the scaffold in the space 50 with the proximal end disc-like surface abutting the fascia, inserting autologous tissue, normally autologous liposuctioned fat, in the tissue engineering chambers 30, pulling a vascular flap pedicle 52 along with the blood vessels (perforator 54 shown in FIG. 4) into the hollow inner region 29 of the scaffold formed by the hollow core 32 and positioning the vascular flap pedicle in the distal portion of the scaffold to position the blood vessels 54 along the hollow inner region to provide capillary blood supply to the autologous tissue in the tissue engineering chambers 30. For breast procedures, the vascular flap pedicle is dissected from a small pectoral muscle island flap having a perforator coming from the thoracoacromial artery, and the perforator/vascular flap pedicle is accessed by instruments passed through the opening 48 in the disc-like end surface 44 of the distal portion 26. A forceps 56 is shown grasping a suture 58 tied around the vascular flap pedicle. Accordingly, blood vessels can be pulled by the suture through the central hollow core from the base up through the apex at the time of implant of the scaffold and the suture can be tied to the apex of the scaffold to anchor the vascular flap pedicle in place before the scaffold is sutured to surrounding fascia in the anatomical space 50 to prevent rotation or displacement of the scaffold in the anatomical space. The autologous tissue inserting step can be performed prior to implant of the scaffold, after implanting of the scaffold or prior to and after implant of the scaffold. The tissue engineering method can be enhanced by creating negative pressure in the scaffold and by filling the tissue engineering chambers with loose felt cellulose matrix prior to inserting fat.

[0038] FIG. 5 shows a scaffold 22 according to the present invention implanted in a space 50 after mastectomy within a breast with the scaffold having fewer tissue engineering chambers 30 than the scaffold shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 and illustrates cannulas 62 for injecting microglobules of the fat, approximately 1 to 1.5 mm in diameter, between the skin envelope and the scaffold 22, under the scaffold and near the chest wall and into the tissue engineering chambers 30 and 30. Granulation tissue, a collagen and extra cellular protein matrix created by fibroblasts mixed with rich capillary growth emanating from the pectoral muscle vascular flap/perforator 52 in the hollow core 32 of the scaffold, is generated in the center of the scaffold to create centrally located supportive vascular tissue which is mimicked by tissue growing in from the peripheral surfaces and from a the surrounding superficial fascia remnants from the mastectomy dissection. Accordingly, the surfaces of the mesh absorbable material, which is segmented to form the tissue engineering chambers, have vascular supported tissue ingrowth from the outside in and from the inside out producing a large vascularized absorbable mesh scaffold that can sustain adipogenesis. The termination of the struts 34 to not extend beyond the perimeter of the base of the scaffold is shown at 64.

[0039] FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show modifications of the tissue engineering device 20 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 shows a layer of cellulose matrix 66, such as methyl cellulose, disposed on the distal end disc-like surface 44 having a thickness of approximately 1 cm. Fat is injected in the layer, and the layer acts as a separation of the areolar dermis from the scaffold to facilitate lifting the skin envelope and nipple areolar dermis away from the scaffold during subsequent fat grafting, if required. FIG. 7 shows tubing 68 with holes therein detachably carried on the proximal portion disc-like end surface 42 communicating with a small suction pump 70 to create negative pressure in the scaffold and to drain excess fluid. The tubing 68 is also shown in FIG. 6.

[0040] FIG. 8 shows the application of a loose felt of cellulose matrix 72, such as methyl cellulose, to the mesh absorbable material forming the tissue engineering chambers 30, 30 and 30 of the scaffold. The loose felt greatly increases the surface area of the mesh absorbent material but will dissolve much faster since the absorbable material used to fabricate the scaffold is considered to be a long term absorbable material relative to the cellulose matrix which is considered to be a short term absorbable material. The cellulose fibers of the cellulose matrix will additionally hold fat globules in place and also act as an additional surface for capillary ingrowth.

[0041] A modification of the tissue engineering device of FIG. 1 to provide a kidney-type function is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 with parts labeled to explain their function. The scaffold 22 has essentially the same structure as the scaffold shown in FIG. 5 with the addition of microtubules in semipermeable membranes disposed in the chambers 30 dividing the chambers in half. In FIG. 9, a tube communicates with the hollow central core at the opening 48 in the disc-like end surface of the distal portion of the scaffold for exit of urea to permit drainage to the bladder. In FIG. 10, urea exits from the proximal portion of the scaffold.

[0042] Embodiments of scaffolds 22 for use in the tissue engineering device of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 where the tissue engineering chambers 30 are not formed with sub-segments. The interior hollow core 32 and the L-struts 34 are covered by rugose draping sheets of mesh absorbable material. The embodiment shown in FIG. 11 has a base wider than its height and would be covered with liposuctioned fat whereas the embodiment shown in FIG. 12 has a height greater than the width of its base and would be implanted behind the breast gland (corpus mammae) to effect increased projection of the breast. These embodiments can be used in instances of breast reduction and mastopexy after implantation. The patient's cells, including fibroblast producing collagen and capillaries grow into the scaffold and create an engineered fascia-like tissue which persists after the mesh fibers are absorbed.

[0043] The embodiment of the scaffold 22 shown in FIG. 13 is tubular and essentially cylindrical and would be employed in tissue engineering devices used with filter-type organs. The hollow central core 32 runs the length of the cylindrical scaffold. When used for the kidneys, two-dimensional circular discs, which are the semipermeable membranes containing the microtubule collecting ducts, are spread out along the longitudinal axis of the scaffold at regular intervals. Flanked on either side of each semipermeable membrane are the absorbable material chambers/segments 30 where the engineered adipose tissue grows. The adipose tissue gets blood supply by the vascular flap pedicle (in the case of use with the kidneys, the inferior epigastic artery) which is dissected out of the muscle in the lower abdomen, then pulled through the central core. The drainage tube shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 collects urine and runs from the distal to proximal ends, where it is then tunneled to the bladder like a ureter.

[0044] A spherical-type scaffold 22 is illustrated in FIG. 14 and would be of a size smaller than scaffolds used for total breast reconstruction following mastectomy. The embodiment of FIG. 14 is designed for use to reconstruct partial mastectomies, otherwise known as lumpectomies. The diameter of the spherical-type scaffold would normally be between 2.5 cm and 5 cm, and the central hollow core 32 would normally have a diameter of approximately 1 cm and facilitates tissue ingrowth and expedites absorption. The spherical-type scaffold for use after a lumpectomy would not require any fat grafting or use of vascular perforator pedicles due to the large ratio of surface area to volume which insures rapid ingrowth of tissue. The spherical-type scaffold will hold apart remaining tissue that surrounds a lumpectomy defect and prevent collapse and scarring. The negative pressure of the anatomical lumpectomy space induces tissue ingrowth and adipogenesis in the same manner as the tissue engineering chambers previously described without the need for fat grafting. A fractal version of the spherical-type scaffold can be on the order of 1 to 1.5 mm to permit injection as filler into existing superficial fascia and would be replaced by tissue and fat from adipogenesis without the need for liposuction and fat grafting. In order to achieve a desired aesthetic outcome following lumpectomy, the small spherical-type scaffold is implanted and fills the defect to promote gradual healing of the lumpectomy space without scar contracture. The spherical-type scaffold acts as a stent against wound contracture and scarring and promotes M2 regenerative healing of the lumpectomy defect. The spherical-type scaffold includes a plurality of tissue engineering chambers connected with one another as previously described to present a contiguous periphery to fill the defect. Titanium micro-clips can be mounted to the surface of the spherical-type scaffold to define its location for post-lumpectomy breast procedures and mammograms. Due to the small size of the spherical-type scaffold, which will have a diameter between 2.5 and 5 cm, the scaffold will typically have only 12 segments with only 24 subsegments. Each subsegment will have an approximately 5 cc volume.

[0045] The tissue engineering device of the present invention can be implanted in various locations of the body particularly in anatomical spaces in the fascia, both in the superficial fascia and the deep fascia. The scaffold of the tissue engineering device can have any shape or size dependent upon the anatomical space in fascia and the functional requirements of the scaffold (for example, for breast reconstruction after mastectomy, for cosmetic or aesthetic purposes relating to the breast or other soft tissue, such as the buttocks, or for various functional organs of the body). Accordingly, the scaffold would be smaller in size and essentially spherical in shape for lumpectomies. The scaffold can be placed in a space in the body created by surgical dissection to divide the space into segments and sub-segments. The surfaces of the scaffold invite tissue ingrowth consisting of fibroblasts making collagen fibers which surround the polymer filaments of the absorbable material and capillary vascular ingrowth. The spaces between the pleats/chambers leave room for new adipose tissue creation, through a process mediated by mechanical signals, due to low tissue tension created by holding the surgical dissection apart with the scaffold. This stimulates stromal cells in the fascia to secrete protein cytokines such as CXCL12 which attracts stem cells from circulation to migrate and congregate in the space occupied by the tissue engineering device. As a result, a healthy, well vascularized engineered tissue results in the location of implantation of the tissue engineering device. The absorbable material scaffold can be covered with various chemical compounds, cells, and proteins prior to implantation, depending on various regenerative therapeutic goals. The tissue engineering device thus becomes an in vivo bioreactor acting as a repository for genetically repaired, autologous patient cells, or allograft donor cells, that have been genetically altered or repaired, e.g. for example, with CRISPR technology. Once cells have been genetically modified in vitro, the cells are transplanted into the tissue engineering device bioreactor environment, where the cells find an incubator environment for growth and are exposed to a rich circulation which can send the products of the repaired cell line into the patient's blood stream. One example is the treatment of diabetes. Type I diabetics have an inadequate number of functioning pancreatic islet cells, which make insulin. The beta cells of the pancreatic islets secrete insulin and play a significant role in diabetes. Repaired autologous beta cells or allograft beta cells can be transplanted into the tissue engineering device for the treatment of diabetes. The tissue engineering device can be placed anywhere within the fascia system of the body, but most conveniently at locations such as the lower lateral abdominal region, posterior hip region above the buttocks, or the upper chest, just below the clavicle. These locations allow implantation via outpatient minor surgical procedures, using local anesthesia and mild sedation.

[0046] The porosity of the porous absorbable material from which the scaffold is made will be determined based on its area of use in the body. Porosity is important to the reaction of the tissue to the scaffold. Macroporous mesh absorbable materials that have large pores facilitate entry of microphages, fibroblast and collagen fibers that constitute new connective tissue. Microporous mesh absorbable materials, with pores less than 10 micrometers, have shown a higher rejection rate due to scar tissue rapidly bridging the small pores. Though there is no formal classification system for pore size, in most instances the scaffold will be made of a macroporous mesh absorbable material with pores greater than 10 micrometers.

[0047] Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many variations, modifications and changes in detail, it is intended that all subject matter discussed above or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative only and not be taken in a limiting sense.