US Patent 7004977 Soft tissue substitute and method of soft tissue reformation

A soft tissue implant material is formed from biologically-compatible polymeric particles. The particles may have a diameter of up to about 500 microns and intraparticulate pores sized for ingrowth of soft tissue. The particles may have an inner core of a first biologically-compatible polymeric material and an outer layer generally surrounding the inner core, with the outer layer comprised of a second biologically-compatible polymeric material being hydrophilic and having a composition different from the composition of the first polymeric material. The material may be utilized with collagen or other matrix materials. This material may be used in a method of reforming soft tissues by implanting the material within soft body tissues to modify soft tissue defects such as wrinkles or oral gingival tissue defects and reshape soft tissue, e.g., for urinary bladder inconvenience.