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Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zurich

Peter Neuenschwander

Ulrich W Suter

Falah Redha

Kazushige Kojima

Sandro Matter

Georg Uhlschmid

Olivier Keiser

Gianluca Ciardelli

Andreas Lendlein

Thomas Hirt

Georg K Uhlschmid

The invention relates to scaffolds for artificial heart valves and vascular structures comprising a biocompatible block copolymer. A method and means for producing said scaffold are also provided.

Scaffolds for artificial heart valves and vascular structures

Disclosed is a biocompatible block copolymer containing the polycondensation product of a diol and an additional component selected from the group of the same diol, an &#x3b1;,&#x3c9;-dihydroxy-polyester or an &#x3b1;,&#x3c9;-dihydroxy-polyether. Also disclosed are a medical implant containing the block copolymer, the use of said block copolymer for the production of a medical implant, a diol and a method for the production thereof. The diol may be obtained by transesterification of &#x3b1;,&#x3c9;-dihydroxy-[(oligo(3-(R)-hydroxybutyrate)-ethylene-oligo-(3-(R)-hydroxybutyrate)] with diglycolide. Transesterification is carried out, preferably, in the presence of a catalyst.

Degradable biocompatible block copolymer

The biocompatible multi-block copolymer is obtainable by linear polycondensation of at least two .alpha.,.omega.-dihydroxypolyesters acid and/or .alpha.,.omega.-dihydroxypolyethers with a diisocyanate, diacid halide or phosgene. The block copolymer is preferably degradable in the human or animal body. The block copolymer is suitable for the production of medical implants and surgical aids.

Biocompatible block copolymer

A plant (200) for treatment of drinking water from raw water has a treatment tank (202) which is supplied with raw water and a storage tank (204) placed downstream of the treatment tank. The treatment tank supplies water on demand to a point of use (224). The treatment tank and the storage tank are connected by a conduit (206), with a pump (208) to feed water from the treatment tank to the storage tank, and by an overflow pipe (210) to feed water back from the storage tank to the treatment tank. The pump is activated by a command device to feed sufficiently treated water to the storage tank when water is consumed at the point of use and when water in the treatment tank is re-ozonized at intervals between times of consumption of water at the point of use. In the latter case, water from the storage tank flows back to the treatment tank through the overflow pipe so that it can be reozonized in the treatment tank.

Plant for the treatment of drinking water from raw water

Plastic X-ray contrast material

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Baden, Switzerland

Peter Neuenschwander