METHODS FOR PRE-STRESSING AND CAPPING BIOPROSTHETIC TISSUE
First Claim
1. A method of treating bioprosthetic implant tissue to reduce in vivo calcification, comprising:
- at least partially cross-linking bioprosthetic implant tissue;
thenstressing the cross-linked tissue; and
applying a calcification mitigant to the stressed, cross-linked tissue.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A treatment for bioprosthetic tissue used in implants or for assembled bioprosthetic heart valves to reduce in vivo calcification is disclosed. The method includes preconditioning, pre-stressing, or pre-damaging fixed bioprosthetic tissue in a manner that mimics the damage associated with post-implant use, while, and/or subsequently applying a calcification mitigant such as a capping agent or a linking agent to the damaged tissue. The capping agent suppresses the formation of binding sites in the tissue that are exposed or generated by the damage process (service stress) and otherwise would, upon implant, attract calcium, phosphate, immunogenic factors, or other precursors to calcification. The linking agent will act as an elastic reinforcement or shock-absorbing spring element in the tissue structure at the site of damage from the pre-stressing. In one method, tissue leaflets in assembled bioprosthetic heart valves are preconditioned by simulating actual flow conditions for a predetermined number of cycles, during or after which the valve is exposed to the capping agent.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method of treating bioprosthetic implant tissue to reduce in vivo calcification, comprising:
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at least partially cross-linking bioprosthetic implant tissue;
thenstressing the cross-linked tissue; and applying a calcification mitigant to the stressed, cross-linked tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of treating bioprosthetic implant tissue to reduce in vivo calcification, comprising:
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cyclic stressing the bioprosthetic implant tissue until the rate of acid production in the bioprosthetic implant tissue decreases by about 10%;
thenapplying a calcification mitigant to the stressed tissue. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of treating a bioprosthetic heart valve to reduce in vivo calcification, comprising:
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mounting a bioprosthetic heart valve in a simulated fluid flow system; subjecting the bioprosthetic heart valve to pulsed fluid flow for at least 100 cycles;
thenapplying a calcification mitigant to the bioprosthetic heart valve. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification