Flexible member for use as a medical bag

• US 5,480,394 A
• Filed: 05/27/1993
• Issued: 01/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): STRIGHT, RONALD K
• Application Number:
  US08/066,015
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 604/327, 604/339, 604/349, 604/355, 604/356, 604/403, 604/408, 604/409, 604/410, 383/1
• US Class Current: 604/327
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/10 Bag-type containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/06 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/148 Materials at least partially resorbable by the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/06 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds A61L31/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/14 Materials characterised by their function or physical properties , e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/148 Materials at least partially resorbable by the body
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/04 Polyesters derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g. lactones C08L67/06 takes precedence

Abstract

According to the present invention, there is provided a highly biodegradable flexible member adapted for medical use which is capable of undergoing degradation in a relatively short period of time in natural environment by burying in soil or abandoning in sea after its sterilization so that no environmental pollution would be caused by its disposal, and which additionally has excellent workability, cost performance, compatibility to ecosystem, as well as biocompatibility. At least a portion of the flexible medical member is fabricated from a material containing a resin composition comprising a polyhydroxyalkanoate, a copolymer thereof, or a mixture thereof as its main component, and 0.01 to 60% by weight of a lipid compound.

Claims

1. A flexible member for medical use selected from the group consisting of a blood bag, an infusion bag, a dialysis bag and a perintestinal nutrient bag wherein said flexible member comprises a body and at least one fluid port, and said body is fabricated from a resin composition comprising:

at least one member selected from the group consisting of a polyhydroxyalkanoate and a copolymer thereof; and

a glyceride, said glyceride comprising 0.01 to 60% by weight of said resin composition.

2. The flexible member for medical use according to claim 1, wherein said polyhydroxyalkanoate is selected from the group consisting of a poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate), a poly(4-hydroxyalkanoate), and a poly(5-hydroxyalkanoate).

3. The flexible member for medical use according to claim 2, wherein said glyceride is selected from the group consisting of monoglyceride, diglyceride and triglyceride.

4. The flexible member for medical use according to claim 3, wherein said glyceride is glycerol tributyrate.

5. The flexible member for medical use according to claim 1, wherein said resin composition further comprises a resin component selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, an ionomer, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylate, polymethacrylic acid, polymethacrylate, polyvinyl alcohol, polystyrene, polyvinylidene chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutyrene terephthalate, nylon, polycarbonate, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, a fluororesin and a copolymer thereof,

said resin composition comprising 1 to 70% by weight of said resin component.

6. The flexible member for medical use according to claim 5, wherein resin component is polyethylene terephthalate.

7. A flexible member for medical use according to claim 1, wherein said body and said port comprise said resin composition.