Medical implants and fibrosis-inducing agents

Abstract

Implants are used in combination with a fibrosis-inducing agent in order to induce fibrosis that may otherwise not occur when the implant is placed within an animal or increase fibrosis between the implant and the host tissue.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 518,785, filed Nov. 10, 2003; U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 523,908, filed Nov. 20, 2003; U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 524,023, filed Nov. 20, 2003; U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 586,861, filed Jul. 9, 2004; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 578,471, filed Jul. 9, 2004, which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates generally to pharmaceutical compositions, methods and devices, and more specifically, to compositions and methods for preparing medical implants to make them more adherent to, or, more readily incorporated within a living tissue. The pharmaceutical agents and compositions are utilized to create novel drug-coated implants and medical devices which induce a fibr...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] Briefly stated, the present invention provides compositions for delivery of selected therapeutic agents via medical implants or implantable medical devices, as well as methods for making and using these implants and devices. Within one aspect of the invention, drug-coated or drug-impregnated implants and medical devices are provided which induce adhesion or fibrosis in the surrounding tissue, or facilitate “anchoring” of the device / implant in situ, thus enhancing the efficacy. Within various embodiments, fibrosis is induced by local or systemic release of specific pharmacological agents that become localized to the adjacent tissue.

Problems solved by technology

Effective attachment of the device into the surrounding tissue, however, is not always readily achieved.

One reason for ineffective attachment is that implantable medical devices generally are composed of materials that are highly biocompatible and designed to reduce the host tissue response.

These materials (e.g., stainless steel, titanium based alloys, fluoropolymers, and ceramics) typically do not provide a good substrate for host tissue attachment and ingrowth during the scarring process.

As a result of poor attachment between the device and the host tissue, devices can have a tendency to migrate within the vessel or tissue in which they are implanted.

Device migration can result in device failure and, depending on the type and location of the device, can lead to leakage, vessel occlusion, and / or damage to the surrounding tissue.

A disadvantage of mechanical fasteners, however, is that they can damage the tissue or vessel wall when the device is deployed.

A drawback of bone cements, however, is that over time the cemented bone-prosthesis interface can degenerate, and / or the cement itself may weaken and fail, resulting in loosening of the implant.

The above-described approaches, however, have failed to provide a satisfactory long-term solution to the problem of device migration.

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