Patent ID: 7766881

Claim:
A method for inserting an implant into tissue, the method comprising the steps of: providing an implant, the implant comprising: a port structure comprising an outer wall having a substantially uniform outer circumference interrupted by a plurality of regions having areas of a smaller outer circumference, wherein a first region of the plurality of regions comprises one or more discrete tactile surface structures, and a second region of the plurality of regions comprises a plurality of discrete tactile surface structures, wherein each of said discrete tactile surface structures encircles the port structure and are arranged along a length of the port body that comprises at least a portion of an implant area; a holding structure coupled to a first end of the port structure, the holding structure comprising an encircling ring protruding from the first end of the port structure, the encircling ring comprising a plurality of openings spaced around said encircling ring; and a connecting structure coupled to a second end of the port structure and configured for conditional attachment to a connecting element; and inserting the implant into the tissue such that at least a portion of each of said discrete tactile surface structures is beneath an outer surface of the tissue and improves ingrowth characteristics associated with the implant by promoting growth of cellular tissue in at least one direction relative to the surface of the implant, and at least a portion of the connecting structure is provided above the outer surface of the tissue.