2218 results about "Healing tissues" patented technology

Hemostatic agents and devices are made from oxidized cellulose fiber, the oxidized cellulose having a carboxylation content increased by the action of nitrogen dioxide on virgin cellulose fiber. A composition may be incorporated into the oxidized cellulose fiber to cause a pharmacological effect on a wound to which the hemostatic agents and devices are applied. When applied, the oxidized cellulose fiber causes blood emanating from the wound to clot. The oxidized cellulose fiber can either be resorbed into the wound or removed from the wound after healing. A hemostatic bandage includes a pad of unwoven oxidized cellulose fibers mounted on a substrate. Methods of arresting a flow of blood emanating from a wound using such devices are also disclosed. Methods of fabricating oxidized cellulose are also disclosed.

A biocompatible tissue repair stimulating implant or “scaffold” device, and methods for making and using such a device, are provided. The implant includes one or more layers of a bioabsorbable polymeric foam having pores with an open cell pore structure. A reinforcement component is also present within the implant to contribute enhanced mechanical and handling properties. The implant houses a biological component that may be released to tissue adjacent the location in which the implant is implanted to faciliate and/or expedite the healing of tissue. This biological component resides primarily within the foam component of the implant, being incorporated within pores formed within the foam.

Novel products comprising conditioned cell culture medium compositions and methods of use are described. The conditioned cell medium compositions of the invention may be comprised of any known defined or undefined medium and may be conditioned using any eukaryotic cell type. The medium may be conditioned by stromal cells, parenchymal cells, mesenchymal stem cells, liver reserve cells, neural stem cells, pancreatic stem cells and/or embryonic stem cells. Additionally, the cells may be genetically modified. A three-dimensional tissue construct is preferred. Once the cell medium of the invention is conditioned, it may be used in any state. Physical embodiments of the conditioned medium include, but are not limited to, liquid or solid, frozen, lyophilized or dried into a powder. Additionally, the medium is formulated with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier as a vehicle for internal administration, applied directly to a food item or product, formulated with a salve or ointment for topical applications, or, for example, made into or added to surgical glue to accelerate healing of sutures following invasive procedures. Also, the medium may be further processed to concentrate or reduce one or more factors or components contained within the medium.

An method and method for generating an electrical signal for use in biomedical applications, including two timing-interval generators, each optionally driving a multistep sequencer; analog, digital or hybrid means for combining the resulting timed signals into a complex electrical signal; optional filtering means for blocking direct current, removing selected frequency components from the resulting signal, and/or providing voltage step-up if needed; and conductive means for coupling the resulting signal to a human or animal body, food, beverage or other liquid, cell or tissue culture, or pharmaceutical material, in order to relieve pain, stimulate healing or growth, enhance the production of specific biochemicals, or devitalize selected types of organisms.

The composite wound dressing apparatus promotes healing of a wound via the use of an external peristaltic vacuum pump. The external peristaltic pump applies a vacuum pressure to the wound to effectively draw wound fluid or exudate away from the wound bed. The external peristaltic pump is tethered to the wound dressing and is portable, preferably, carried by the patient in a support bag, which permits patient mobility. Moreover, the patient does not need to be constrained for any period of time while exudate is being removed from the wound.

Devices and methods for improved soft tissue securement are disclosed, and, in particular, to tissue anchoring elements and deployment thereof. Such tissue anchoring elements may comprise a linkage element and an array of spreading elements. Endoscopic devices and methods are disclosed for deploying multiple anchoring elements to multiple sites and manipulating at least some of the associated linkage elements to approximate selected sites. Applications of such endoscopic devices and methods may include endoluminal therapy such as gastroplasty, which may be used for the treatment of obesity and gastroesophageal disease. Such devices and methods may also include the attachment of a foreign body to a tissue mass. Further aspects of the invention include devices and methods for the modification of mechanical properties of the anchoring sites so as to decrease the likelihood that anchoring elements will pull out. Such modification may include irritating or injuring the tissue within the anchoring sites, thereby causing a healing or scarification response, or may alternatively include deploying a solidifying agent within the anchoring sites.

An intravascular catheter with micro spines that penetrate arterial wall to delivery drug or mechanical injury to the vessel wall inducing a “stent” like healing process in the vessel.

A method, system and apparatus for augmenting the surgical repair of soft tissue injuries, in which a first end of a bridge member attaches to a first portion of healthy tissue, and a second end of the bridge member attaches to a second portion of healthy tissue. The bridge member (or bridge members) used to augment the soft tissue repair may be interconnected or function independently. Flexibility and elasticity of the bridge member are determined by the situation and may be altered to improve healing. The device may be used in arthroscopic procedures, and may be manufactured in a variety of lengths, or may be manufactured one length and be cut to the desired length, or otherwise altered to provide an optimal length of the bridge member.

An improved endoscopic tissue apposition device (50) having multiple suction ports (86) permits multiple folds of tissue to be captured in the suction ports (86) with a single positioning of the device (50) and attached together by a tissue securement mechanism such as a suture (14), staple or other form of tissue bonding. The improvement reduces the number of intubations required during an endoscopic procedure to suture tissue or join areas of tissue together. The suction ports (86) may be arranged in a variety of configurations on the apposition device (50) to best suit the desired resulting tissue orientation. The tissue apposition device (50) may also incorporate tissue abrasion means (852) to activate the healing process on surfaces of tissue areas that are to be joined by operation of the device to promote a more secure attachment by permanent tissue bonding.

An access and cannulation device includes a mounting element such as the anastomosis mounting element disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 08/714,615 (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,763) and U.S. application Ser. No. 09/200,796. The device is used to provide access therethrough and via an incision to the interior of a hollow anatomical structure such as a vessel, an organ or the like during surgery, especially minimally invasive surgery. It includes a flexible sleeve with a suture therein for closing the sleeve and locating edges of the structure adjacent to the incision in position for proper healing after completion of a surgical procedure. A tool is also disclosed for manipulating the device to configure it for the surgery and to close it after completion of the surgery whereby the edges of the wall of the structure adjacent to an incision are approximated to promote proper healing.

A method is provided for treatment of cataract in combination with a glaucoma procedure while maintaining the intraocular pressure by permitting aqueous to flow out of an anterior chamber of the eye through a surgically stented pathway. A trabecular stent is adapted for implantation within the trabecular meshwork of an eye such that intraocular liquid flows controllably from the anterior chamber of the eye to Schlemm's canal, bypassing the trabecular meshwork. Depending upon the specific treatment contemplated, pharmaceuticals may be utilized in conjunction with the trabecular stent enabling post-cataract healing processes.

Methods and devices for transmitting micromechanical forces locally to induce surface convolutions into tissues on the millimeter to micron scale for promoting wound healing are presented. These convolutions induce a moderate stretching of individual cells, stimulating cellular proliferation and elaboration of natural growth factors without increasing the size of the wound. Micromechanical forces can be applied directly to tissue, through biomolecules or the extracellular matrix. This invention can be used with biosensors, biodegradable materials and drug delivery systems. This invention will also be useful in pre-conditioned tissue-engineering constructs in vitro. Application of this invention will shorten healing times for wounds and reduce the need for invasive surgery.

A multi-layer collagen article useful for wound healing includes at least two layers; wherein at least one layer, facing the wound side, has an effective amount of non or partially cross-linked collagen; and at least one layer having an effective amount of highly cross-linked collagen matrices. A method for the production of the collagen article and a method of enhancing wound healing by means of administering the multi-layer collagen are provided.

Apparatus and methods are provided for achieving prolonged maintenance of gastrointestinal (“GI”) tissue folds. The apparatus and methods are adapted to form, secure, approximate and promote healing of tissue folds. Such healing may comprise remodeling the tissue folds along region(s) of opposing tissue contact to facilitate prolonged maintenance of the folds. In one variation, the apparatus and methods may be utilized to achieve gastric reduction. The apparatus may be provided as a system of tools.

An accommodating intraocular lens is provided having optical parameters that are altered in-situ, wherein an optic portion of the lens includes a lens piston that alters the shape of a lens element of the lens to alter the optical power of the lens, responsive to forces applied to a haptic portion to the lens by contraction of the ciliary muscles. Forces applied to the haptic portion are transferred hydraulically to cause the lens to become more or less accommodated. The haptic portion is retained in a fixed unaccommodated state during an initial healing period following implantation to facilitate affixation of the haptic portion to the capsule.

Methods and apparatus for treating meniscal tissue damage are disclosed, including a biocompatible meniscal repair device comprising a stent. The tissue repair device is adapted to be placed in contact with a defect in the meniscus and can preferably provide a structure for supporting meniscal tissue and/or encouraging tissue growth through contact with vascularized portions of the meniscus or as a conduit for introduction of exogenous healing therapies.

Methods of decreasing the effective dielectric constant present between two conducting components of an integrated circuit are described. The methods involve the use of a gas phase etch which is selective towards the oxygen-rich portion of the low-K dielectric layer. The etch rate attenuates as the etch process passes through the relatively high-K oxygen-rich portion and reaches the low-K portion. The etch process may be easily timed since the gas phase etch process does not readily remove the desirable low-K portion.

Devices and methods for utilizing electromagnetic radiation and other forms of energy to treat a volume of tissue at depth are described. In one aspect, a device modulates the flux incident on surface tissue to control and vary the depth in the tissue at which an effective dose of radiant energy is delivered and, thereby, treat a specific volume of tissue. The methods and devices disclosed are used to perform various treatments, including treatments to relieve pain and promote healing of tissue.

The present invention provides bioactive polymer compositions that can be formulated to release a wound healing agent at a controlled rate by adjusting the various components of the composition. The composition can be used in an external wound dressing, as a polymer implant for delivery of the wound healing agent to an internal body site, or as a coating on the surface of an implantable surgical device to deliver wound healing agents that are covalently attached to a biocompatible, biodegradable polymer and/or embedded within a hydrogel. Methods of using the invention bioactive polymer compositions to promote natural healing of wounds, especially chronic wounds, are also provided. Examples of biodegradable copolymer polyesters useful in forming the blood-compatible, hydrophilic layer or coating include copolyester amides, copolyester urethanes, glycolide-lactide copolymers, glycolide-caprolactone copolymers, poly-3-hydroxy butyrate-valerate copolymers, and copolymers of the cyclic diester monomer, 3-(S)[(alkyloxycarbonyl)methyl]-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione, with L-lactide. The glycolide-lactide copolymers include poly(glycolide-L-lactide) copolymers formed utilizing a monomer mole ratio of glycolic acid to L-lactic acid ranging from 5:95 to 95:5 and preferably a monomer mole ratio of glycolic acid to L-lactic acid ranging from 45:65 to 95:5. The glycolide-caprolactone copolymers include glycolide and ε-caprolactone block copolymer, e.g., Monocryl or Poliglecaprone.

A coil for the treatment of vascular aneurysms is disclosed. The coil is formed from filamentary members interlaced to form a three-dimensional substrate. The substrate is deformable between a collapsed state wherein it fits within a catheter, and an expanded state, which it assumes once deployed from the catheter into the vascular aneurysm. The three-dimensional shapes of the substrate include flat sheets biased into a helix or a tubular forms biased into figure eight loops, helical loops or a sinusoid. Bioactive characteristics may be imparted to the coil through the use of coatings or materials that provoke a healing response in living tissue.