105 results about "Biodegradable scaffold" patented technology

Tooth tissues include the pulp mesenchyme that forms the dentin and an epithelium that is responsible for enamel formation. Cells from these tissues were obtained from porcine third molars and were seeded onto a biodegradable scaffold composed of a polyglycolic acid—polylactic acid copolymer. Cell polymer constructs were then surgically implanted into the omentum of athymic nude rats so that the constructs would have a blood supply and these tissues were allowed to develop inside the rats. Infrequently, columnar epithelial cells were observed as a single layer on the outside of the dentin-like matrix similar to the actual arrangement of ameloblasts over dentin during early tooth development. Developing tooth tissues derived from such cell polymer constructs could eventually be surgically implanted into the gum of an edentulous recipient where the construct would receive a blood supply and develop to maturity, providing the recipient with a biological tooth replacement.

An apparatus and method for aspirating, irrigating and / or cleansing wounds is provided. The apparatus and method include one or more of the following: simultaneous aspiration and irrigation of the wound, supplying of thermal energy to fluid circulated through the wound; supplying physiologically active agents to the wound; a biodegradable scaffold in contact with the wound bed; and application of stress or flow stress to the wound bed.

Methods of treating the prostate include administering a thermal ablation therapy and inhibiting the obstruction or closure of the prostatic urethral opening by forming a biodegradable stent in situ in the subject such that the stent attaches to the walls of the prostatic urethra. A related method of treating BPH includes thermally treating or ablating localized tissue in the prostate with a treatment catheter and inserting flowable stent material via the treatment catheter into the prostate (either before, during, or after the thermal treatment), forming the flowable stent material so that it defines a stent that remains in position after removal of the treatment catheter to inhibit the closure of the urinary passage. Associated stents and catheters are included.

A hybrid stent prosthesis including a biodegradable tubular body, a first non-biodegradable self-expanding ring coupled to a proximal end of the biodegradable body, and a second non-biodegradable self-expanding ring coupled to a distal end of the biodegradable body. The hybrid stent includes a mechanism for longitudinally compressing the tubular body to increase the radial or hoop strength thereof. The longitudinally compressing mechanism may be protruding elements coupled to and extending radially outward from the hybrid stent or elastomeric compression bands or tethers extending between the non-biodegradable rings. The compression bands may be pre-connected to both non-biodegradable rings prior to stent delivery, or may be connected to one non-biodegradable ring prior to insertion and connected to the other non-biodegradable ring in situ.

A method for treating vulnerable plaques of a patient, comprising: providing a biodegradable stent comprising a first supporting zone made of a first biodegradable material, wherein the supporting zone comprises at least a portion of continuous circumference of the stent; and a second therapeutic zone made of a second biodegradable material, wherein the therapeutic zone comprises at least one bioactive agent; delivering the biodegradable stent to the vulnerable plaques; orienting the therapeutic zone at about the luminal surface of the vulnerable plaque; and releasing the at least one bioactive agent for treating the vulnerable plaques.

Provided herein is an apparatus for printing cells which includes an electrospinning device and an inkjet printing device operatively associated therewith. Methods of making a biodegradable scaffold having cells seeded therein are also provided. Methods of forming microparticles containing one or more cells encapsulated by a substrate are also provided, as are methods of forming an array of said microparticles.

Methods of treating the prostate include administering a thermal ablation therapy and inhibiting the obstruction or closure of the prostatic urethral opening by forming a biodegradable stent in situ in the subject such that the stent attaches to the walls of the prostatic urethra. A related method of treating BPH includes thermally treating or ablating localized tissue in the prostate with a treatment catheter and inserting flowable stent material via the treatment catheter into the prostate (either before, during, or after the thermal treatment), forming the flowable stent material so that it defines a stent that remains in position after removal of the treatment catheter to inhibit the closure of the urinary passage. Associated stents and catheters are included.

The present invention relates to new reinforced biodegradable scaffolds for soft tissue regeneration, as well as methods for support and for augmentation and regeneration of living tissue, wherein a reinforced biodegradable scaffold is used for the treatment of indications, where increased strength and stability is required besides the need for regeneration of living tissue within a patient. The present invention further relates to the use of scaffolds together with cells or tissue explants for soft tissue regeneration, such as in the treatment of a medical prolapse, such as rectal or pelvic organ prolapse, or hernia.

The invention is directed to scaffolds containing porous polymer material prepared by a process of gas foaming / particulate leaching and a wet granulation step prior to gas foaming and particulate leaching, particularly having a characteristic interconnected pore structure, as well as sustained release of protein, DNA or cells, and to methods for using such porous polymer material for preparation of scaffolds, particularly for tissue engineering.

Hydrogel microparticles with entrapped liquid are used as the porogen to reproducibly form interconnected pore networks in a porous scaffold. In one embodiment, a biodegradable unsaturated polymer, a crosslinking agent, and a porogen comprising biodegradable hydrogel microparticles are mixed together and allowed to form a porous scaffold in an mold or in a body cavity. Example biodegradable unsaturated polymers include poly(propylene fumarate) and poly(e-caprolactone-fumarate). The cosslinking agent may be a free radical initiator, or may include a free radical initiator and a monomer capable of addition polymerization. Example hydrogel microparticles include uncrosslinked or crosslinked collagen , an uncrosslinked or crosslinked collagen derivative, and an uncrosslinked or crosslinked synthetic biodegradable polymer such as oligo(poly(ethylene glycol) fumarate).

The present invention refers to a biodegradable stent, comprising an SMP material for use in the non-vascular and vascular field.

A biodegradable stent is comprised of a stereocomplex of polylactide enantiomers. The unique characteristics of stereocomplex polymers allows for the stent to have variable material characteristics along its length, while retaining uniform geometry. Thus, the stent is designed to be flexible upon insertion through the blood vessels while still retaining its rigidity and support upon expansion within the vessel. Furthermore, the material characteristics can be manipulated such that high strengths are possible even with small thicknesses of struts within the stent.

An apparatus is provided that includes a graft for coupling two vascular conduits within a patient. The graft includes: 1) an anchor system that forms an arc at one end of the conduits; and 2) a body element coupled to the anchor system. The anchor system comprises a biodegradable stent. In particular embodiments, portions of the graft are either self-expandable or balloon-expandable. In still other embodiments, anchor system includes NITINOL and the anchor system is substantially self-sealing at one end of the conduits. In one embodiment, the body element comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (EPTFE). In yet other embodiments, the body element includes either a gelatinous or an elastomeric coating disposed on its surface.

The present invention relates to biodegradable scaffolds composed of a naturally-occurring protein backbone cross-linked by a synthetic polymer. Specifically, the present invention provides PEGylated-fibrinogen scaffold and methods of generating and using same for treating disorders requiring tissue regeneration.

A biodegradable double stent is used for various organs such as a biliary tract, an esophagus, an airway and a ureter. A biodegradable stent having a hollow cylindrical body woven out of a separate wire made of biodegradable polymer so as to have a plurality of rhombic spaces is fixed to an intermediate portion of a primary stent having a cylindrical body. When administered into the organ, the biodegradable stent has its original function of expanding the organ, and is firmly supported in the inner wall of a narrowed passage of the organ by pressurizing the inner wall of the narrowed passage of the organ. After a predetermined time period has elapsed, the biodegradable stent is gradually degraded away by bodily fluids, thereby enabling the primary stent to be easily removed from the organ.

Provided herein are anisotropic muscle implants that have a biodegradable scaffold comprising a plurality of fibers oriented along a longitudinal axis. The implants may include mammalian muscle cells seeded and / or fused into myotubes on the scaffold. Methods of forming the muscle implants are provided, as are methods of treating a subject in need of skeletal muscle reconstruction.

A biodegradable stent for implantation into a lumen in a human body. The stent in one embodiment is made from a biodegradable fiber having an inner core and an outer layer. The outer layer is a blend of two polymer components. The inner core has a first degradation rate, and the outer layer has a second degradation rate. The second degradation rate is slower than the first degradation rate. The fiber softens in vivo such that the stent is readily passed from the lumen as a softened fragment or filament after a pre-determined period of time through normal flow of body fluids passing through the lumen.

The invention is to methods of deploying polymeric biodegradable or non biodegradable stents by use of stepwise creases in the pressure placed upon the inner diameter of the stent to slowly increase the stent diameter. In one embodiment, the pressure on the interior stent diameter is slowly increased. The stent is allowed to acclimate to this diameter for a set period of time, and then the pressure is again increased. This series of steps continues until the stent reaches its final diameter and a final period of acclimatization is maintained prior to the removal of the deployment / delivery device.

A stent comprising a matrix and a fiber reinforcement about which the matrix is chemically or mechanically attached. The matrix is provided with heavier loads of pharmaceutically active ingredients or genetic materials as a result of the increased strength and mechanical characteristics provided to the stent by the fiber reinforcement. The fiber reinforcement can be comprised of a plurality of mono-filament fibers spaced and oriented in a flat weave pattern to which the matrix is chemically or mechanically attached. Degradation rates of the materials that comprise the matrix and the fiber reinforcement can be varied to vary the time period in which the stent maintains its mechanical characteristics or releases the pharmaceutically active ingredients or genetic materials therefrom. Multiple stage release profiles can be provided by providing multiple layers of matrices and fiber reinforcements, whereby different pharmaceutically active ingredients or genetic materials or different concentrations thereof, can be released according to the degradation profiles of the matrix and fiber reinforcment.

A method for treating vulnerable plaques of a patient, comprising: providing a biodegradable stent comprising a first supporting zone made of a first biodegradable material, wherein the supporting zone comprises at least a portion of continuous circumference of the stent; and a second therapeutic zone made of a second biodegradable material, wherein the therapeutic zone comprises at least one bioactive agent; delivering the biodegradable stent to the vulnerable plaques; orienting the therapeutic zone at about the luminal surface of the vulnerable plaque; and releasing the at least one bioactive agent for treating the vulnerable plaques.

An apparatus is provided that includes a graft for coupling two vascular conduits within a patient. The graft includes: 1) an anchor system that forms an arc at one end of the conduits; and 2) a body element coupled to the anchor system. The anchor system comprises a biodegradable stent. In particular embodiments, portions of the graft are either self-expandable or balloon-expandable. In still other embodiments, anchor system includes NITINOL and the anchor system is substantially self-sealing at one end of the conduits. In one embodiment, the body element comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (EPTFE). In yet other embodiments, the body element includes either a gelatinous or an elastomeric coating disposed on its surface.

An intraluminal stent, an intraluminal stent delivery system, and a method of treating a vascular condition. The stent includes a framework composed of a biodegradable material. At least one strut is composed of a non-biodegradable material. The framework is operably attached to the at least one strut. The delivery system includes a catheter and a stent disposed on a portion of the catheter. The stent includes a framework composed of a biodegradable material. The stent further includes at least one strut composed of a non-biodegradable material. The framework is operably attached to the at least one strut. The method includes positioning an intraluminal stent via a catheter within a vessel. The stent includes at least one strut that is composed of a non-biodegradable material and is operably attached to a framework. The framework expands during deployment of the intraluminal stent. The framework is allowed to biodegrade within the vessel.

Provided herein is an apparatus for printing cells which includes an electrospinning device and an inkjet printing device operatively associated therewith. Methods of making a biodegradable scaffold having cells seeded therein are also provided. Methods of forming microparticles containing one or more cells encapsulated by a substrate are also provided, as are methods of forming an array of said microparticles.

A biodegradable double stent is used for various organs such as a biliary tract, an esophagus, an airway and a ureter. A biodegradable stent having a hollow cylindrical body woven out of a separate wire made of biodegradable polymer so as to have a plurality of rhombic spaces is fixed to an intermediate portion of a primary stent having a cylindrical body. When administered into the organ, the biodegradable stent has its original function of expanding the organ, and is firmly supported in the inner wall of a narrowed passage of the organ by pressurizing the inner wall of the narrowed passage of the organ. After a predetermined time period has elapsed, the biodegradable stent is gradually degraded away by bodily fluids, thereby enabling the primary stent to be easily removed from the organ.

An endosseous dental implant assembly comprises a dental implant comprising an abutment portion for connecting to a tooth crown and a hollow base portion defining a cavity therein, and a bio-supportive or biodegradable scaffold carried by the hollow base portion of the dental implant in the biomimetic approach. The abutment portion is formed integrally with the hollow base portion. The scaffold is impregnated with regenerative stem cells, growth factors, biomorphic proteins, or autogenous cells. In the osseointegrated approach bone graft material can be carried to the extraction socket without a scaffold.

A biodegradable stent for implantation into a lumen in a human body. The stent in one embodiment is made from a biodegradable fiber having an inner core and an outer layer. The outer layer is a blend of two polymer components. The inner core has a first degradation rate, and the outer layer has a second degradation rate. The second degradation rate is slower than the first degradation rate. The fiber softens in vivo such that the stent is readily passed from the lumen as a softened fragment or filament after a pre-determined period of time through normal flow of body fluids passing through the lumen.