Temporarily Stiffened Mesh Prostheses
First Claim
1. A medical prosthesis comprising a mesh and one or more coatings which temporarily stiffen the mesh to at least 1.1 times its original stiffness;
- said mesh being formed to encapsulate an implantable device; and
said one or more coatings comprising one or more biodegradable polymers and one or more drugs which, alone or in combination, are capable of providing pain relief, inhibiting scarring or fibrosis and/or inhibiting bacterial growth.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to medical prostheses and methods of manufacturing those devices. In particular, the prostheses are temporarily stiffened meshes with particular coatings to provide initial stiffness and thereby permit easier surgical handling for treatment or reconstruction of soft tissue defects. Preferred embodiments include surgical meshes coated with one or more biodegradable polymers that can act as a stiffening agent by coating the filaments or fibers of the mesh to temporarily immobilize the contact points of those filaments or fibers and/or by increasing the stiffness of the mesh by at least 1.1 times its original stiffness. The devices of the invention can also provide relief from various post-operative complications associated with their implantation, insertion or surgical use. By including biologically active agents and/or drugs in the coating, the devices provide prophylaxis for and can alleviate side effects or complications associated with the surgery or use of prostheses in general.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A medical prosthesis comprising a mesh and one or more coatings which temporarily stiffen the mesh to at least 1.1 times its original stiffness;
- said mesh being formed to encapsulate an implantable device; and
said one or more coatings comprising one or more biodegradable polymers and one or more drugs which, alone or in combination, are capable of providing pain relief, inhibiting scarring or fibrosis and/or inhibiting bacterial growth. - View Dependent Claims (3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
- said mesh being formed to encapsulate an implantable device; and
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2. A medical prosthesis comprising a mesh and one or more coatings, wherein said one or more coatings comprise one or more biodegradable polymers which act as a stiffening agent and coat filaments or fibers of said mesh to temporarily immobilize contact points of the filaments or fibers of said mesh;
- said mesh is formed to encapsulate an implantable device; and
said one or more coatings further comprise one or more drugs which, alone or in combination, are capable of providing pain relief, inhibiting scarring or fibrosis and/or inhibiting bacterial growth. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
- said mesh is formed to encapsulate an implantable device; and
Specification