Patent Description:
Implantable medical devices may be implanted into patients for a variety of reasons, including, for example, to improve the clinical condition of a patient or to replace natural patient tissue. Injection ports of tissue expanders provide access to tissue expanders while implanted within a patient. Electromagnetic signals may be used to provide information on the location of an injection port of the tissue expander to facilitate access to the port. When a tissue expander is in an irregular position, such as when a tissue expander has flipped position, the injection port may be inaccessible to a physician or other medical professional, who could inadvertently puncture the tissue expander in an effort to access the injection port. <CIT> discloses implantable transponders comprising no ferromagnetic parts for use in medical implants; methods for using such transponders, readers for detecting such transponders and methods for using such readers are also described. <CIT> discloses a tissue expander comprising a shell defining a chamber, and having a flexible wall and a port disposed through the flexible wall.

The present disclosure includes port assemblies useful for providing access to a medical implant and/or determining the location and/or orientation of the implant inside a patient. Included herein are injection ports for tissue expanders comprising features that may provide for increased safety and/or decreased necessity for invasive procedures. While portions of this disclosure refer to tissue expanders and breast implants, the devices and methods disclosed herein may be used with other implantable medical devices, such as, e.g., other implants used in cosmetic and/or reconstruction procedures. Thus, for example, the port assemblies herein may provide distinctive signature(s) via electronic signal(s) and/or image(s) to assist a medical professional to determine the location and orientation of a medical implant in a non-invasive manner. The port assemblies herein may provide for introduction and/or removal of a fluid from the implant (e.g., an injection port of a tissue expander) but are not limited to fluid injection capability.

The claimed invention is defined by independent claims <NUM> and <NUM>, and includes a tissue expander comprising an integrated port (also referred to herein as a port or port assembly), wherein the integrated port comprises a housing comprising a first portion coupled to a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion comprise different materials; and a self-sealing cover (e.g., a dome) over an opening into the housing; wherein the first portion faces the cover and allows transmission of electromagnetic signals through the first portion, the first portion being between the second portion and the cover; and wherein the second portion prevents transmission of electromagnetic signals through the second portion in a direction away from the cover. In some aspects, the integrated port further comprises an electromagnetic coil between the first portion and the second portion of the housing. Each of the first portion of the housing and the cover may comprise a polymer, e.g., the same polymer or different polymers. Additionally or alternatively, the second portion of the housing may comprise a non-ferromagnetic metal or non-ferromagnetic metal alloy. In at least one example, the second portion of the housing comprises aluminum. In some examples, the integrated port does not comprise any ferromagnetic materials.

In at least one example, the housing forms a chamber configured to receive a fluid, the chamber comprising the first portion and a second portion; and the integrated port comprises a coil between the first portion and the second portion. The first portion may be configured as a needle stop. The first portion may allow transmission of electromagnetic signals from the coil while the second portion prevents transmission of electromagnetic signals from the coil. As mentioned above, the first portion may comprise a polymer and/or the second portion may comprise a non-ferromagnetic metal or non-ferromagnetic metal alloy. For example, the second portion may comprise aluminum and/or the first portion may comprise a polymer such as poly-ether-ether-ketone. The cover is self-sealing, e.g., when an injection device such as a needle punctures the cover for introducing or removing fluid from the integrated port. The coil may be contained within a fluid-tight compartment of the housing that prevents contact between the coil and a fluid within the chamber. As mentioned above, in some examples, the integrated port does not comprise any ferromagnetic materials. In at least one example, the housing is cylindrical in shape.

The present disclosure also includes medical implants comprising the integrated ports herein. For example, the implant may comprise a flexible shell, and the cover (e.g., dome) of the integrated port may be coupled to an inner surface or an outer surface of the shell. For example, the cover may be coupled to the shell with an adhesive. In at least one example, the shell of the implant comprises silicone, and the cover of the integrated port comprises silicone or poly-ether-ether-ketone. According to the claimed invention, the medical implant is a tissue expander.

The present disclosure also includes non-invasive methods of locating the integrated ports herein, e.g., providing information about the position, location, and/or orientation of a medical implant that includes an integrated port as disclosed herein. The claimed non-invasive method includes ultrasound imaging and analyzing echoes from the integrated port, and optionally analyzing a presence or absence of RFID signals from the integrated port to determine an orientation of the implant relative to tissue of a patient.

Further disclosed herein is an integrated port comprising a chamber configured to receive a fluid, the chamber comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion comprises a material different from a material of the second portion, one of the materials being a non-ferromagnetic metal; a coil between the first portion and the second portion; and a cover (e.g., a dome) covering an opening into the chamber; wherein the first portion faces the dome, the first portion being configured as a needle stop; and wherein the first portion allows transmission of electromagnetic signals from the coil while the second portion prevents transmission of electromagnetic signals from the coil. In some examples, the integrated port further comprises an integrated circuit chip coupled to the coil, for example soldered to the coil. Medical implants comprising such integrated ports may comprise a flexible shell, e.g., the cover of the integrated port being coupled to an inner surface or an outer surface of the shell.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate various examples and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. Any features of an embodiment or example described herein (e.g., device, method, etc.) may be combined with any other embodiment or example, and are encompassed by the present disclosure.

Aspects of the present disclosure are described in greater detail below. The terms and definitions as used and clarified herein are intended to represent the meaning within the present disclosure. The terms and definitions provided herein control, if in conflict with terms and/or definitions incorporated by reference.

The singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural reference unless the context dictates otherwise. The terms "approximately" and "about" refer to being nearly the same as a referenced number or value. As used herein, the terms "approximately" and "about" generally should be understood to encompass ± <NUM>% of a specified amount or value.

As used herein, the term "posterior" refers to the back of a patient, and the term "anterior" refers to front of a patient. Thus, the posterior side of an implant such as a tissue expander or breast implant is the side of the implant facing the chest wall, while the anterior side is the opposite side closest to the skin.

The present disclosure generally relates to medical implants, features of medical implants, port assemblies useful for medical implants, and transponders and sensors for use with such implants and port assemblies, and methods of using such port assemblies, transponders, sensors, and implants. Aspects of the present disclosure may be useful for locating medical devices that may be implanted in the patient. Such implantable medical devices may include, but are not limited to, tissue expanders, breast implants, gluteal implants, and other medical devices in the field of aesthetic or reconstructive surgery, as well as other types of medical devices configured for temporary or permanent implantation inside a patient. Various aspects of the present disclosure may be used with and/or include one or more features of transponders, valve assemblies, integrated ports, and readers disclosed in <CIT>.

In the invention, the medical implant is a tissue expander. Tissue expanders of the present disclosure may be inflated manually and/or electronically, e.g., with a syringe or other suitable device for introducing and withdrawing a fluid (e.g., a liquid or gaseous fluid) or gel into the tissue expanders. Tissue expanders and other medical implants according to the present disclosure may comprise a port having components useful for determining the location and/or orientation of the tissue expander or other medical implant in a patient, e.g., an integrated port. The terms "integrated port" and "port assembly" are used interchangeably herein to describe ports with features that facilitate identifying the location, position, and/or orientation of a medical implant that includes the integrated port or port assembly. The integrated port may include features to facilitate locating and identifying the port, including in cases when the tissue expander or other medical device is misplaced or suspected of being misplaced, in a non-invasive manner.

For example, the integrated port may comprise an electromagnetic coil configured to emit electromagnetic signals, e.g., radio-frequency identification (RFID) signals, and/or ultrasonic signals. Optionally, the coil may be coupled to an integrated circuit chip and/or other electronic components, including sensors configured to assure medical device integrity such as rupture detection and/or measure patient vitals and/or parameters such as temperature, pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and/or pH, among others.

The integrated ports herein allow for non-invasive methods of detecting if a tissue expander implanted in a patient has been misplaced (e.g., flipped such that the port is in a posterior position towards the patient's chest rather than an anterior position towards the skin surface) and thus whether an additional medical procedure should be performed to reposition the tissue expander. For example, the methods herein may prevent or reduce the risk of inadvertently puncturing a tissue expander, creating a deflation and/or resulting in other complications for the patient. The present disclosure also includes methods of locating the port of a tissue expander via ultrasound imaging, including locating the port independent of RFID location.

One or more portions of the integrated port (or port assembly) may comprise one or more non-ferromagnetic materials. Exemplary non-ferromagnetic materials include, but are not limited to, polymers such as poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK), polycarbonate, and other plastics; ceramic; silica (e.g., glass); and non-ferromagnetic metals such as aluminum and copper, and alloys of these metals, as well as other metals and metal alloys that are non-ferromagnetic. In some examples, the integrated port may comprise nickel. For example, the integrated port (or port assembly) may comprise one or more materials, all of which may be non-ferromagnetic, to maintain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatibility. The structure of the integrated port and combination of materials may provide for distinctive signals and/or images to assist a medical professional in determining the location, position, and/or orientation of the medical implant via an external reader and/or imaging.

The integrated port comprises at least two different materials. For example, the integrated port may comprise two different metals or metal alloys, a polymer and a metal or metal alloy, or two different polymers, among other combinations of materials. In at least one example, the integrated port comprises a polymer, such as PEEK, and an additional material that has capabilities of RFID blocking, such as aluminum. See, e.g., <FIG> discussed below. The RFID-blocking material may be positioned so as to block an RFID signal of the integrated port in at least one direction.

In the case of an injection port for a tissue expander, for example, the integrated port may include an electromagnetic coil proximate a needle stop. In at least one example, the RFID-blocking material may be placed adjacent to or on the bottom of a needle stop of the integrated port, or as a "coin" within the needle stop. The coil that emits an RFID signal to assist in locating the integrated port may be proximate, e.g., sit on top of, this RFID-blocking material. Accordingly, the RFID signal may only be detected by a suitable reader/port locator if the RFID-blocking material is not positioned between the coil and the reader/port locator. If the tissue expander has flipped such that the RFID blocking material is between the coil and the reader/port locator, signals emitted from the integrated port may be blocked from detection by the reader/port locator. Failure to detect the integrated port via the port locator may turn on an indicator light of the port locator, e.g., to indicate that the tissue expander is incorrectly positioned, such as due to having flipped or otherwise becoming misplaced.

According to the claimed invention, port location is performed via ultrasound imaging. For example, a difference in materials included in the integrated port allows for the ultrasound echo to differ. The materials may have different densities, chemical compositions, and/or structure, for example, that provide different signatures via ultrasound imaging. This difference in materials allows a medical professional to analyze ultrasound images of a patient to determine the location, position, and/or orientation of a medical implant in a non-invasive manner.

Ultrasound, also referred to as sonography, is a non-invasive medical imaging technique useful for observing the environment surrounding a medical implant. Ultrasound can be used to capture internal images of the body, such as muscles, organs, blood vessels, and other tissue, in addition to implants. An ultrasound machine typically includes a transducer and a processor, such as a central processing unit of a computer, connected to a display, such as a monitor. To collect images, the transducer may be placed on a patient's skin and passed over an area of the body to be imaged, wherein sound waves are emitted from the transducer. When a medical professional obtains images using an ultrasound system, the transducer sends a sound wave with an amplitude that changes due to reflection and transmissions as the sound wave contacts different types of anatomical structure. Reflection and transmission coefficients of the sound waves may be used to describe the environment around an implant. The frequency of the sound waves is typically above <NUM>, e.g., frequencies ranging between <NUM> and <NUM>. The sound waves pass through the body and are at least partially reflected back to the transducer after they bounce off relatively more dense structures, such as bodily tissue or an implant. Echo lines in an ultrasound image are a sign of inhomogeneities in an environment. The processor measures the echo intensities and speed of the sound waves, and converts these measurements to electronic images. The ultrasound images provide an indication of anatomy, e.g., wherein brighter areas correspond to features with greater density. As a sound wave has an initial amplitude that undergoes reflections and transmissions depending on the patient's anatomy and medical implants therein, the reflection and transmission characteristics may be analyzed to calculate describe characteristics of medical implants, including location, position, and/or orientation information.

Ultrasound imaging may be used in addition to, or in place of, electromagnetic detection such as RFID detection. In the case of an integrated port comprising silicone and a polymer (e.g., PEEK), for example, ultrasound may be used to visualize the integrated port independent of RFID detection. This feature may provide detection capabilities for medical implants that do not have an electromagnetic coil. For example, a tissue expander may include an integrated port in the form of an injection port comprising two different materials (e.g., PEEK and silicone, or other combination of different materials) that allow for determining the location, position, and/or orientation of the port via non-invasive ultrasound imaging, independent of locating the integrated port via RFID signal.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides an integrated port, comprising: a chamber configured to receive a fluid, the chamber comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion comprises a material different from a material of the second portion, one of the materials being a non-ferromagnetic material; a coil between the first portion and the second portion; and a dome covering an opening into the chamber; wherein the first portion faces the dome, the first portion being configured as a needle stop; and wherein the first portion allows transmission of electromagnetic signals from the coil while the second portion prevents transmission of electromagnetic signals from the coil. The integrated port may comprise an integrated circuit chip coupled to the coil, for example soldered to the coil. The integrated port may be part of a medical implant comprising a flexible shell, the cover of the integrated port being coupled to an inner surface or an outer surface of the shell.

Reference is made to the following figures as examples of the present disclosure, but it is understood that the present disclosure is limited to the particular structures and examples illustrated.

<FIG> depict an exemplary integrated port <NUM>, which may include a valve assembly <NUM> and a cover in the form of dome <NUM>. Valve assembly <NUM> may include a main chamber <NUM> with a wall <NUM> having a lip <NUM>. Lip <NUM> has an inner edge 619E. Main chamber <NUM> may have a top opening defined by edge 619E configured to face dome <NUM>, and may accommodate a portion of dome <NUM>, shown in this example as plug <NUM> of dome <NUM>. Wall <NUM> of main chamber <NUM> may have one or more fluid holes <NUM> that may pass from main chamber <NUM> out of the valve assembly <NUM>, e.g., providing for fluid entry and/or exit into a cavity of a medical implant radially inward of the port <NUM>. A coil <NUM> may be located in a housing <NUM> which is separated from main chamber <NUM> by a needle stop <NUM>, such that coil <NUM> is centered beneath main chamber <NUM>.

Dome <NUM> may have a patch <NUM>, which may have a wider width than plug <NUM> and valve assembly <NUM>, and may be integral with plug <NUM>. A flange <NUM> between patch <NUM> and plug <NUM> may be configured to accommodate and interlock with lip <NUM> of valve assembly <NUM>. In this example, dome <NUM> is illustrated with a step <NUM> that may be configured to interface with a wall of an implant (e.g., the shell of a tissue expander, breast implant, or other medical implant) into which the integrated port <NUM> may be installed, e.g., the dome <NUM> being located radially outside the implant wall and the main chamber <NUM> being radially inside the implant wall. This is illustrated in <FIG> wherein wall <NUM> on a medical implant has an aperture <NUM> through which the port <NUM> (e.g., plug <NUM> of port <NUM>) extends.

In some examples, the dome <NUM> may be coupled to the inner surface of a wall of an implant in use, e.g., via an adhesive or other fixation mechanism or material. In such examples, the entire port <NUM> would be radially inward of the implant wall (e.g., the shell of a tissue expander, breast implant, or other medical implant). In such cases, the port <NUM> may lack a step <NUM>. For example, the step <NUM> in <FIG> may be omitted, such that the flange <NUM> is between dome <NUM> and plug <NUM>. In this example, the wall <NUM> of implant shown in <FIG> would be adjacent to the dome <NUM> such that the entirety of the port <NUM> is radially inward of wall <NUM>. See also <FIG> discussed below.

Valve assembly <NUM> may comprise biocompatible, non-ferromagnetic material(s), such as PEEK, silicone, and/or other polymer(s), and/or one or more RFID blocking materials such as aluminum, nickel, copper, and/or alloys thereof. Main chamber <NUM> may be sized, shaped, and configured to receive fluids from, e.g., a cannula, syringe, or other fluid deposition device. Needle stop <NUM> of main chamber <NUM> may be configured to prevent or resist puncturing by such a fluid deposition device (e.g., a needle of a syringe). For example, needle stop <NUM> may comprise one or more materials having a density, hardness, and/or thickness configured to prevent or resist puncturing by a needle. According to some aspects of the present disclosure, integrated port <NUM> may include a needle stop <NUM> that comprises a polymer such as PEEK and an RFID-blocking material such as aluminum opposite the needle stop <NUM>.

Coil <NUM> may be an electromagnetic coil positioned within a separate chamber, e.g., provided in this example by housing <NUM>. Housing <NUM> may be fluid-tight so as to prevent fluids from entering housing <NUM> and coming into contact with coil <NUM>. Housing may be cylindrical, as shown, and may be coaxial with main chamber <NUM>, such that coil <NUM> is also coaxial with main chamber <NUM>. In this manner, the location of coil <NUM> may be used to locate the center, or the approximate center, of main chamber <NUM> and housing <NUM>. Housing <NUM> is depicted as having a smaller circumference than, e.g. main chamber <NUM>. However, in some examples, housing <NUM> may have dimensions as large or nearly as large as main chamber <NUM>. Coil <NUM> optionally may be coupled to a chip, e.g., an integrated circuit chip as mentioned above. For example, the chip may be soldered or otherwise in electronic contact with the inner or outer surface of coil <NUM>. Plug <NUM> of dome <NUM> may be sized and shaped to snugly interlock with, e.g., lip <NUM> of main chamber <NUM>. Dome <NUM> may comprise a biocompatible material such as silicone with self-sealing capabilities.

<FIG> illustrate back and front views, respectively, of components of another exemplary port assembly. In this example is shown a needle stop of the integrated port, which may also include any of the features of integrated port <NUM> discussed above. The components may include a first portion <NUM> configured to serve as a needle stop (e.g., similar to needle stop <NUM>) and a second portion <NUM> coupled to the opposite side of the first portion <NUM> serving as the needle stop. The first portion <NUM> may comprise one or more materials configured to prevent or resist puncturing. The first portion <NUM> may overlay an electromagnetic coil (e.g., similar to coil <NUM>) capable of emitting a RFID signal. The material(s) of first portion <NUM> may be non-ferromagnetic and may permit the transmission of RFID signals therethrough. Exemplary materials useful for first portion <NUM> may include, for example, polymers such as PEEK.

Second portion <NUM> may comprise a RFID blocking material, such as aluminum or other suitable metal or metal alloy (which additionally may be non-ferromagnetic for MRI compatibility). The second portion <NUM> is positioned so as to block RFID transmission from the coil below the needle stop in the direction opposite first portion <NUM>. For example, in the case of a tissue expander or other medical implant, second portion <NUM> may face the posterior side of the tissue expander or other medical implant, while the first portion <NUM> faces the anterior side of the tissue expander or other medical implant. This configuration is further illustrated in the example shown in <FIG>, wherein a second portion <NUM> similar to second portion <NUM> is positioned to block RFID signals from electromagnetic coil <NUM>, e.g., wherein the coil <NUM> optionally may be between the RFID-blocking material of the second portion <NUM> and another material that allows the passage of RFID signals therethrough (e.g., a different material of a needle stop or other structure of the port assembly).

<FIG> illustrates an exemplary reader or detector <NUM>, also referred to herein as a port locator, that may be used for detecting integrated ports as disclosed herein. In some examples, the detector may include one or more indicators, such as one or more lights, providing information about location, positioning, and/or orientation of the integrated port (and therefore positioning of the tissue expander or other medical implant that includes the integrated port) based on receiving RFID signals from the integrated port or lack of RFID signals received. For example, when RFID signals are not detected (e.g., when RFID-blocking material(s) prevents signals from an electromagnetic coil from being received by the detector <NUM>), one or more of the indicator lights may illuminate to indicate that the tissue expander is misplaced. For example, the tissue expander or other medical implant may have flipped its position such that the anterior side of the implant faces towards the chest of the patient. In this way, detector <NUM> may enable a user to determine whether the implant has shifted position so as to prevent access to the port. In the case of a tissue expander where the integrated port is an injection port, the user can then avoid inadvertently puncturing the tissue expander when the port is not accessible, and reposition the tissue expander before attempting to introduce and/or remove fluid via the port.

Additionally, as mentioned above, the integrated ports herein may provide for ultrasound imaging for determining whether the medical implant, e.g., tissue expander, breast implant, gluteal implant, etc., is properly placed, e.g., so as to access the integrated port. A difference in materials of the components of the port, such as different materials used for a needle stop component (e.g., first and second portions <NUM>, <NUM> above) may allow for an ultrasound echo or echoes to determine the location, position, and/or orientation of the integrated port.

<FIG> illustrates another exemplary port assembly <NUM> (alternatively referred to as integrated port <NUM>) according to some aspects of the present disclosure, the port assembly <NUM> being coupled to the inner side of the wall <NUM> of a medical implant. The port assembly <NUM> includes a cover <NUM> (or dome) coupled to a lower portion or section that contains an electromagnetic coil <NUM>. As shown, the lower portion or section includes a walled structure <NUM> coupled to an inner housing <NUM> that forms a chamber containing the coil <NUM>. Thus, the port assembly <NUM> comprises a housing that includes the inner housing <NUM> as a first portion and the walled structure <NUM> as a second portion, wherein the coil <NUM> is between the first portion/inner housing <NUM> and the second portion/walled structure. In some examples, the coil <NUM> may be coupled to (in electrical contact with) an integrated circuit chip (see, e.g., <FIG> discussed below). Optionally, the lower portion or section may include one or more fluid holes to allow the port assembly <NUM> to serve as an injection port (e.g., the outer surface of the walled structure <NUM> facing the cover <NUM> providing a needle stop surface). Thus, port assembly <NUM> may include any of the features of integrated port <NUM> of <FIG>. The wall <NUM> of the medical implant may be a shell (e.g., flexible silicone shell) of a tissue expander or breast implant, for example. When the port assembly <NUM> is configured to serve as an injection port, a user may introduce and/or remove fluid from the implant via port assembly <NUM> through a needle inserted through the wall <NUM> (e.g., through a silicone shell wall of the implant) and through the cover <NUM> (e.g., the cover comprising a self-sealing material).

According to some aspects of the present disclosure, the inner housing <NUM> and the walled structure <NUM> may comprise different materials, one of inner housing <NUM> or walled structure <NUM> comprising a material that allows transmission of RFID signals and the other of inner housing <NUM> or walled structure <NUM> comprising an RFID-blocking material such as aluminum or other suitable metal or metal alloy, including other non-ferromagnetic metals and metal alloys. Thus, for example, RFID signals emitted by the coil <NUM> may pass through the inner housing <NUM> for detection via an external reader or port locator external to a patient, while RFID are blocked from passing through walled structure <NUM>. In this way, a user of the reader or port locator would have information regarding the position, location, and/or orientation of the port assembly <NUM> to determine if the implant has the proper position, location, and orientation in a patient. A medical professional additionally or alternatively may use ultrasound imaging to determine the position, location, and/or orientation of the port assembly <NUM>, e.g., due to differences in ultrasound echoes of the different materials of inner housing <NUM> and walled structure <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrate another exemplary port assembly <NUM>, which as shown may serve as an injection port. The port assembly <NUM> may include components similar to those of port assembly <NUM> above. For example, the cross-sectional view of <FIG> shows a lower portion of the port assembly <NUM> formed of a walled structure <NUM>, a plate <NUM>, and an inner housing <NUM> also coupled to the plate <NUM> to form an inner chamber <NUM>. The walled structure <NUM> includes two or more holes <NUM> to allow for the passage of fluid therethrough. The upper surface of the walled structure <NUM> includes an aperture for receiving a cover, e.g., similar to cover <NUM> of port assembly <NUM> shown in <FIG> or dome <NUM> of integrated port <NUM> shown in <FIG>. <FIG> shows a perspective view of the port assembly <NUM> (without cover), illustrating four fluid holes <NUM> in a cylindrical walled structure <NUM>. The port assembly <NUM> need not have a cylindrical shape and may have other suitable shapes such as square, rectangular, etc. <FIG> shows a top view of the plate <NUM> which includes several concentric ridges, the innermost ridge configured to abut the inner housing <NUM> as shown in the cross-sectional view of <FIG>. Thus, the port assembly <NUM> may comprise a housing that includes the inner housing <NUM> as a first portion, and the walled structure <NUM> and the plate <NUM> as a second portion.

<FIG> shows an exemplary electromagnetic coil <NUM> that may be housed within the inner chamber <NUM>. The coil is coupled to an integrated circuit chip <NUM> to provide electrical contact between coil <NUM> and chip <NUM>. Optionally, chip <NUM> may store information unique to the port assembly <NUM> (e.g., a barcode, serial number, identifying information regarding the implant model or manufacturer, etc.) and/or a medical implant that includes the port assembly <NUM>, and/or chip <NUM> may include one or more sensors for measuring various parameters as discussed above. Coil <NUM> (and optionally chip <NUM>) may be between the first portion (inner housing <NUM>) and the second portion (walled structure <NUM> and plate <NUM>) of the housing.

Claim 1:
A tissue expander comprising an integrated port, wherein the integrated port (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) comprises:
a self-sealing cover (<NUM>, <NUM>) over an opening into a housing (<NUM>, <NUM>);
characterized in that
the housing comprises a first portion (<NUM>) coupled to a second portion (<NUM>, <NUM>), wherein the first portion and the second portion comprise different materials; and
wherein the first portion faces the cover and allows transmission of electromagnetic signals through the first portion, the first portion being between the second portion and the cover; and
wherein the second portion prevents transmission of electromagnetic signals through the second portion in a direction away from the cover.