Body absorbable sponge and method of making

• US 3,902,497 A
• Filed: 03/25/1974
• Issued: 09/02/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald James Casey
• Original Assignee: Donald James Casey
• Inventors: Casey, Donald James
• Primary Examiner(s): Trapp, Lawrence W.
• Application Number:
  US05/454,353
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 128/155-157,290,296,325,334,335.5 260/2.5E
• US Class Current: 604/369
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/425 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/64 specially adapted to be resorbable inside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2400/04 Materials for stopping bleeding

Abstract

A conformable tissue absorbable surgical sponge is formed by dissolving a tissue absorbable polymer in hexafluoroisopropyl alcohol or hexafluoroacetone sesquihydrate, filtering, freezing and subliming off the solvent to give a tissue conformable flexible sponge which rapidly absorbs blood and other body fluids. The sponge may be used to absorb blood or other liquids during a surgical procedure or may be used as a hemostat and allowed to remain in a closed wound with the polymer being absorbed by living tissue.

Claims

1. A METHOD OF MAKING A HEMOSTAT COMPRISING DISSOLVING A TISSUE-ABSORBABLE POLYMER IN HEXAFLUOROISOPROPYL ALCOHOL OR HEXAFLUOROACETONE SESQUIHYDRATE, FILTERING TO REMOVE ANY INSOLUBLE CONTAMINANT, FREEZING THE SOLUTION AND SUBLIMING OFF THE SOLVENT, WHEREBY AN ABSORBABLE SPONGE STRUCTURE IS FORMED, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY NON-DIRECTIONAL AND IS READILY CONFORMABLE TO TISSUE SURFACES.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the tissue absorbable polymer comprises glycolic acid, having such a high glycolic acid content that it is insoluble in common organic solvents.

3. The method of claim 2 in which the tissue absorbable polymer is homopolymeric polyglycolic acid.

4. A hemostatic surgical sponge of a tissue absorbable polymer comprising glycolic acid, having at least 85% of the monomer units of glycolic acid, whereby it is insoluble in common organic solvents, in the form of a sheet having interconnected ribbons and ligaments of a single polymer which is essentially non-directional having a network of connecting elements, and which is sufficiently flexible to be readily conformable to a wound surface.

5. The sponge of claim 4 in which the tissue absorbable polymer is homopolymeric polyglycolic acid.

6. A hemostatic surgical sponge of a tissue absorbable polymer in the form of a sheet having interconnected ribbons and ligaments of a single polymer which is essentially non-directional having a network of connecting elements, and which is sufficiently flexible to be readily conformable to a wound surface;

made by the process of dissolving a tissue-absorbable polymer in hexafluoroisopropyl alcohol or hexafluoroacetone sesquihydrate, filtering to remove any insoluble contaminants, freezing the solution and subliming off the solvent, whereby an absorbable sponge structure is formed, which is essentially non-directional and is readily conformable to tissue surfaces.