Devices for harvesting and homogenizing adipose tissue containing autologous endothelial cells

Claim 1

An endothelial cell collection system, comprising: a hollow tubular body defining a central bore along a longitudinal axis, the body having a proximal end defining an opening, and a distal end defining an entrance port into the bore; a piston sealingly disposed within the bore; a plunger operatively connected to the piston and extending through the proximal end opening of the body, the piston being movable to define a variable volume chamber within the central bore in communication with the entrance port; an elongated cannula removably attached to the distal end of the body having a lumen extending therethrough in communication with the chamber, the cannula having a plurality of distal collection apertures opening transverse to the lumen axis and having sharpened edges, the plunger and piston combining to allow manual control of the pressure in the chamber to create sub- or supra-ambient pressure in the cannula lumen, thus enabling gentle collection of fat tissue comprising microvascular endothelial cells from a body cavity through the collection apertures and into the chamber via the lumen; a hub assembly attachable to the distal end of the body in place of the cannula; and a homogenizing member mounted within the hub assembly, the homogenizing member comprising a plurality of apertures, wherein the fat tissue collected in the chamber can be homogenized by ejecting it from the chamber through the distal port and homogenizing member.