Focal, Inc.

Other

University of Texas System

Genzyme Corporation

Ronald S Rudowsky

Amarpreet S Sawhney

Peter K Jarrett

Michelle D Lyman

Luis Z Avila

Arthur J Coury

Shikha P Barman

Stephen D Goodrich

Amapreet S Sawhney

Douglas J Weaver

Jeffrey Alan Hubbell

David A Melanson

Mark T Kieras

Chandrashekar P Pathak

David J Enscore

George E Selecman

Dean M Pichon

Bradley C Poff

David J Nedder

Donald L Elbert

Fei Yao

William C Nason

Michelle D Powell

Marc A Levine

John C Spiridigliozzi

Thomas Bromander

Aaron Feustel

Bradley D Bender

Frank Lopez

Thomas S Bromander

Douglas J K Weaver

Douglas JK Weaver

Provided herein are a locking mechanism including a male extension including a straight portion and a graduated step portion; and a female extension configured to receive the male extension, and including a pair of protruding tabs, which are spaced apart to allow the straight portion of the male extension to pass through a space between the protruding tabs, and which contact the graduated step portion if the male extension is inserted a first predetermined distance into the female extension.

Locking mechanism

An improved barrier or drug delivery system which is highly adherent to the surface to which it is applied is disclosed, along with methods for making the barrier. In the preferred embodiment, the system is compliant, in that it is capable of conforming to the three dimensional structure of a tissue surface as the tissue bends and deforms during healing processes. The barrier or drug delivery systems is formed as a polymeric coating on tissue surfaces by applied a polymerizable monomer to the surface, and then polymerizing the monomer. The polymerized compliant coating preferably is biodegradable and biocompatible, and can be designed with selected properties of compliancy and elasticity for different surgical and therapeutic applications.

Compliant tissue sealants

Water-soluble macromers including at least one hydrolysable linkage formed from carbonate or dioxanone groups, at least one water-soluble polymeric block, and at least one polymerizable group, and methods of preparation and use thereof are described. The macromers are preferably polymerized using free radical initiators under the influence of long wavelength ultraviolet light or visible light excitation. Biodegradation occurs at the linkages within the extension oligomers and results in fragments which are non-toxic and easily removed from the body. The macromers can be used to encapsulate cells, deliver prophylactic, therapeutic or diagnostic agents in a controlled manner, plug leaks in tissue, prevent adhesion formation after surgical procedures, temporarily protect or separate tissue surfaces, and adhere or seal tissues together.

Polymerizable biodegradable polymers including carbonate or dioxanone linkages

An impoved barrier or drug delivery system which is highly adherent to the surface to which it is applied is disclosed, along with methods for making the barrier. In the preferred embodiment, tissue is stained with a photoinitiator, then the polymer solution or gel having added thereto a defined amount of the same or a different photoinitiator is applied to the tissue. On exposure to light, the resulting system polymerizes at the surface, giving excellent adherence, and also forms a gel in the rest of the applied volume. Thus a gel barrier of arbitrary thickness can be applied to a surface while maintaining high adherence at the interface. This process is referred to herein as &ldquo;priming&rdquo;. The polymerizable barrier materials are highly useful for sealing tissue surfaces and junctions against leaks of fluids. In another embodiment, &ldquo;priming&rdquo; can be used to reliably adhere preformed barriers to tissue or other surfaces, or to adhere tissue surfaces to each other. A first surface and a barrier, or another surface, are prestained with initiator, and a thin layer of gelable monomer containing initiator is placed between them. Strong adhesion is obtained between the two surfaces on gelation of the monomer. In a similar fashion, tissue surfaces can be adhered to each other in repair of wounds and formation of anastomoses. Methods for use of non-photochemical systems and combined chemical/photochemical systems are described.

Redox and photoinitiator systems for priming for improved adherence of gels to substrates

Redox and photoinitiator systems for priming and improved adherence of

Polymerizable biodegradable polymers including carbonate or dioxanone

An improved barrier or drug delivery system which is highly adherent to the surface to which it is applied is disclosed, along with methods for making the barrier. The barrier can be prepared by staining tissue with a photoinitiator, applying a solution containing a polymerizable barrier material solution and a photoinitiator to the tissue, and polymerizing the polymer solution on exposure to light. The resulting polymer adheres strongly to the tissue surface, and also forms a gel in the rest of the applied volume. The polymerizable barrier materials are highly useful for sealing tissue surfaces and junctions against leaks of fluids. The method can be used to adhere preformed barriers to tissue or other surfaces, or to adhere tissue surfaces to each other. Tissue surfaces can be adhered to each other to repair wounds. In addition to photochemical initiators, non-photochemical initiators and combinations of chemical initiators and photochemical initiators can be used.

Redox and photoinitiator priming for improved adherence of gels to

Growing community of inventors

Sudbury, MA, United States of America

Ronald S Rudowsky