Absorbable sponge with contrasting agent

• US 7,618,567 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sub-Q, Inc. (Merit Medical Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Ashby, Mark, Chi Sing, Eduardo
• Primary Examiner(s): KOCH, GEORGE R
• Application Number:
  US10/978,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20050059080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,845 Days
• Field of Search: 264/42, 264/43, 264/51, 264/52, 264/916
• US Class Current: 264/42
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0233 Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0057 Implements for plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ, e.g. for sealing a vessel puncture or closing a cardiac septal defect sutures A61B17/04; closing rectum or urethra near body surface A61F2/0009
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00637 for sealing trocar wounds through abdominal wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00654 entirely comprised between the two sides of the opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3933 Liquid markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/485 involving fluorescence X-ray imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/481 involving the use of contrast agent, e.g. microbubbles introduced into the bloodstream analysis of echo signal exploiting properties of a contrast enhancer in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52039
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/005 for contrast media

Abstract

An absorbable sponge containing a contrasting agent (e.g, radiopaque agent) that can be introduced to a biopsy tract or other puncture wound site is provided. The contrasting agent permits identification of the site by fluoroscopy or other imaging techniques.

Claims

1. A liquid permeable, absorbable gelatin sponge that is prepared by a process that comprises:

(a) preparing an aqueous gelatin solution;

(b) adding an organic solvent in the aqueous gelatin solution to form a second solution;

(c) incubating the second solution;

(d) forming a foam from the second solution wherein a contrasting agent is added to the second solution at any step prior to forming the foam; and

(e) drying the foam.

2. The gelatin sponge of claim 1 wherein said forming comprises whipping the second solution until a foam is produced.

3. The gelatin sponge of claim 1 wherein said organic solvent is a formaldehyde solution.

4. The gelatin sponge of claim 1 wherein said preparing further comprises warming the aqueous gelatin solution.

5. The gelatin sponge of claim 4 wherein said warming further comprises cooling the aqueous gelatin solution before adding the organic solvent.

6. The gelatin sponge of claim 1 wherein said process further comprises heating the foam.

7. The gelatin sponge of claim 1 wherein said process further comprises soaking the foam with a beneficial agent.

8. The gelatin sponge of claim 1 wherein said process further comprises hydrating the foam with a beneficial agent.

9. A process to prepare a liquid permeable, absorbable gelatin sponge, comprising:

preparing an aqueous gelatin solution;

adding a formalin solution to the gelatin solution thereby forming a second solution;

incubating the second solution;

mixing the second solution thereby forming a foam;

incorporating a contrasting agent to the second solution as the foam is formed;

drying the foam.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein said preparing further comprises mixing a gelatin with a warm aqueous solution.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein said gelatin is a pork gelatin.

12. The process of claim 10 further comprising cooling the gelatin solution.

13. The process of claim 10 wherein the aqueous solution is water.

14. The process of claim 9 wherein said contrasting agent is a tantalum powder.

15. The process of claim 9 further comprising soaking the foam with a beneficial agent.

16. The process of claim 9 further comprising hydrating the foam with a beneficial agent.