Compositions for use in embolizing blood vessels

• US 6,342,202 B1
• Filed: 08/27/1997
• Issued: 01/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micro Therapeutics, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Micro Therapeutics, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Evans, Scott, Greff, Richard J., Wright, James I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Webman, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US08/917,721
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 424/78.08, 424/9.411, 424/9.42, 424/486, 424/423, 523/105
• US Class Current: 424/9.42
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0024 Solid, semi-solid or solidifying implants, which are implanted or injected in body tissue compositions for intravenous administration, normal injectable solutions or dispersions for, e.g. subcutaneous administration A61K9/0019; brain implants A61K9/0085; (coated) prostheses, catheters or stents A61L
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 7/04 Antihaemorrhagics; Procoagulants; Haemostatic agents; Antifibrinolytic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 9/00 Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system

Abstract

Disclosed are compositions suitable for use in embolizing blood vessels which compositions comprise a polymer, a biocompatible solvent and a contrast agent. The polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylonitrile, polyurethane, polyvinylacetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, nitrocellulose and copolymers of urethane/carbonate and copolymers of styrene/maleic acid.

Claims

1. A method for embolizing a blood vessel by injecting into said blood vessel a sufficient amount of a composition consisting essentially of:

(a) from about 2.5 to about 8.0 weight percent of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinylacetate wherein said polymer has a molecular weight of at least about 50,000;

(b) from about 10 to about 40 weight percent of a contrast agent;

(c) from about 52 to about 87.5 weight percent of a biocompatible solvent

wherein the weight percent of the polymer, contrast agent and biocompatible solvent is based on the total weight of the complete composition

whereupon, after injection, a precipitate is formed which embolizes the blood vessel wherein the formed precipitate comprises the polymer.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said contrast agent is a water insoluble contrast agent.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said biocompatible solvent is DMSO.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein said contrast agent is tantalum.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein said contrast agent is tantalum oxide.

6. The method according to claim 2 wherein said contrast agent is barium sulfate.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said polymer is polyvinylacetate.

8. A method for embolizing a blood vessel by injecting into said blood vessel a sufficient amount of a composition consisting essentially of:

(a) from about 2.5 to about 8.0 weight percent of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinylacetate wherein said polymer has a molecular weight of at least about 50,000;

(b) from about 10 to about 40 weight percent of a contrast agent;

(c) from about 52 to about 87.5 weight percent of a biocompatible solvent

wherein the weight percent of the polymer, contrast agent and biocompatible solvent is based on the total weight of the complete composition

whereupon, after injection, a precipitate is formed which embolizes the blood vessel wherein the formed precipitate comprises the polymer; and

further wherein the embolizing composition is injected at a rate of about 0.05 to 0.3 cc/minute.

9. A method for embolizing a blood vessel by injecting into said blood vessel a sufficient amount of a composition consisting essentially of:

(a) from about 2.5 to about 8.0 weight percent of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinylacetate wherein said polymer has a molecular weight of at least about 50,000;

(b) from about 10 to about 40 weight percent of a contrast agent;

(c) from about 52 to about 87.5 weight percent of a biocompatible solvent

wherein the weight percent of the polymer, contrast agent and biocompatible solvent is based on the total weight of the complete composition

whereupon, after injection, a precipitate is formed which embolizes the blood vessel wherein the formed precipitate comprises the polymer; and

further wherein the embolizing composition is injected at a rate of at least 0.6 cc/minute.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the injection rate of at least 0.6 cc/minute is employed to form a precipitate in the form of a filamentous mass projecting down stream from the catheter tip into the blood vessel to be embolized.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein blood vessel to be embolized is located in a tumor mass, an organ or an arteriovenous malformation.