Gunze Limited

Koji Yamauchi

Tomohiko Asahara

Yoshito Ikada

Susumu Miyamoto

Keisuke Yamada

Hidetoshi Arimura

Hirotsugu Kurobe

Yoshitake Takahashi

Saki Okumura

Yuuki Kato

A hole closing material achieves less invasive treatment for atrial septal defect with no or little possibility of problems in the late post-treatment period. The hole closing material includes two tubular bodies (first tubular portion and second tubular portion) having a mesh structure formed of a bioabsorbable linear material, and includes: a proximal connecting part connected to a first end; and a distal connecting part connected to a second end and screwed to a delivery cable. The proximal connecting part and the distal connecting part are capable of selectively achieving: 'locked' in which the proximal connecting part and the distal connecting part remain united; and “unlocked” in which the proximal connecting part and the distal connecting part do not remain united. The delivery cable passes through the substantially middle portion, is inserted into a hollow tube of the proximal connecting part, and passes out of the hole closing material in a direction from the second end to the first end.

Medical material

The present invention provides a method for reducing the content of a metal catalyst in a biodegradable and absorbable polymer that can be applied on an industrial scale and a method for producing a biodegradable and bioabsorbable polymer having a metal catalyst content of less than 1 ppm in terms of a metal. The method includes the steps of (1) copolymerizing lactide and &#x3b5;-caprolactone at a molar ratio ranging from 40/60 to 60/40 or 65/35 to 85/15 in the presence of the metal catalyst to produce a copolymer; and (2) washing the copolymer with a mixed solvent comprising acetic acid and isopropanol at a volume ratio ranging from 25/75 to 45/55 or 45/55 to 55/45 at less than 40&#xb0; C., and drying the copolymer.

Bio-degradable/absorbable polymer having reduced metal catalyst content, and process for production thereof

The present invention provides an artificial dura mater which comprises an amorphous or low crystallinity polymer as a constituent component and which prevents the cerebrospinal fluid leakage.

Artificial dura mater

The present invention provides an artificial dura mater characterized by comprising at least a sheet of a biodegradable and bioabsorbable synthetic polymer and having a storage modulus at ordinary temperature of from 1&#xd7;10to 5&#xd7;10(Pa); and a process for producing an artificial dura mater characterized by dissolving a lactide/&#x3b5;-caprolactone copolymer (in a molar ratio ranging from 40/60 to 60/40) in a solvent, filtering the resultant solution and casting the same followed by air drying.

Artificial dura mater and process for producing dura mater

The present invention provides an artificial dura mater prepared from an biodegradable and bioabsorbable synthetic polymer sheet and having a total light transmittance of 30% or more as defined by JIS K7105, a haze (cloudiness value) of 80% or less as defined by JIS K7105 or a specular glossiness at 60&deg; (Gs 60&deg;) of 10-20% as defined by JIS Z8741.

Artificial dura

The present invention provides an artificial dura mater characterized by comprising at least a sheet of a biodegradable and bioabsorbable synthetic polymer and having a storage modulus at ordinary temperature of from 1&times;10 to 5&times;10 (Pa); and a process for producing an artificial dura mater characterized by dissolving a lactide/&egr;-caprolactone copolymer (in a molar ratio ranging from 40/60 to 60/40) in a solvent, filtering the resultant solution and casting the same followed by air drying.

Growing community of inventors

Ayabe, Japan

Koji Yamauchi