Biodegradable Adhesion Prevention Material for Tissue

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional adhesion prevention materials face challenges in ensuring sufficient adhesion to biological tissue, biodegradability, and ease of handling, leading to potential long-term retention in the body and foreign body reactions.

Innovation Solution

A material comprising a water-soluble support layer and a biodegradable adhesion prevention layer with a high content of biodegradable polymer, specifically a block copolymer of polyhydroxy alkanoic acid and polyalkylene glycol, which is designed to adhere strongly to biological tissue while being easily removable and biodegradable, reducing the risk of long-term retention and foreign body reactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a water-soluble polymer substrate layer covered by an aliphatic ester coat layer is used, then ease of handling is improved, but adhesion between the substrate layer and biological tissue becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of handlingVSAvoidadhesion to biological tissue
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The material is divided into two functional layers: a water-soluble polymer substrate layer for ease of handling and a biodegradable polymer adhesion prevention layer for strong tissue adhesion. This segmentation allows each layer to optimize its specific function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a composite structure combining water-soluble polymer and biodegradable polymer in a laminated configuration. This composite material approach enables the substrate to provide handling ease while the adhesion prevention layer ensures strong tissue bonding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If biodegradable polymers are used to improve adhesion prevention function, then adhesion prevention capability is improved, but biodegradability regulation is insufficient causing long-term retention in the body

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion prevention capabilityVSAvoidretention time in body
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention carefully controls the molecular weight and composition parameters of the biodegradable polymer to achieve optimal balance between adhesion prevention capability and biodegradability. By adjusting these parameters, the material degrades within 1-4 weeks while maintaining effective adhesion prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The biodegradable polymer layer is designed to naturally degrade and be discarded by the body's metabolic processes after completing its adhesion prevention function. This eliminates the need for manual removal and prevents long-term foreign body retention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Duration of action of stationary object

If the adhesion prevention layer is made thin to improve biodegradability, then biodegradability is improved, but ease of handling deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovebiodegradabilityVSAvoidease of handling
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The material structure separates the handling function (water-soluble substrate layer) from the biodegradation function (thin adhesion prevention layer). This segmentation allows the thin adhesion prevention layer to degrade quickly while the substrate layer provides handling ease during application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The water-soluble polymer substrate layer acts as an intermediary that provides mechanical strength and handling ease during application, then dissolves to leave the thin biodegradable adhesion prevention layer in place. This intermediary enables the use of thin films without compromising handling properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The material effectively suppresses post-operative adhesions by ensuring strong adhesion and rapid biodegradability, reducing the risk of complications and foreign body reactions, and can be easily applied and removed from biological tissues.

Implementation Method 1

a water-soluble support layer comprising a water-soluble polymer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWater solubility: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

an adhesion prevention layer comprising a biodegradable polymer... excellent biodegradability in the body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBiodegradation: Hydrolysis

Data Source

PatentEP3520825B1Material for adhesion prevention
Publication Date: 2023.12.20 TORAY INDUSTRIES INC
  • EP3520825B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3520825B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3520825B1 patent drawing

AI summary

This invention provides a material for adhesion prevention that can be adhered to biological tissue with certainty and has improved tissue adhesiveness and biodegradability. Such material for adhesion prevention is composed of: a 1- to 1,000-µm-thick water-soluble support layer comprising a water-soluble polymer; and a 1- to 1,000-µm-thick adhesion prevention layer comprising a biodegradable polymer. The biodegradable polymer has a structure in which a branched polyalkylene glycol comprising 3 to 8 terminal hydroxyl groups per molecule is bound to a polyhydroxy alkanoic acid, and a mass ratio of the branched polyalkylene glycol relative to the total mass is 1% to 30%.