Apparatus and method for preventing adhesions between an implant and surrounding tissues
First Claim
1. A method of using a resorbable polymer base material in combination with an implant for attenuating adhesions between the implant and surrounding tissue following a surgical procedure in a human patient, the method comprising:
- providing a nonporous, resorbable polymer base material;
heat-shrinking the resorbable polymer base material in a form of a resorbable thin membrane around the implant to thereby cover surfaces of the implant, wherein the resorbable thin membrane comprises a resorbable polymer consisting essentially of;
a lactide polymer;
or a copolymer of two or more cyclic esters;
applying the implant and the resorbable thin membrane to a human patient in a region, which is susceptible to adhesions as a consequence of the surgical procedure; and
attenuating an occurrence of adhesion between the implant and surrounding tissue at the region within the human patient by way of the presence of the resorbable thin membrane positioned at the region within the patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An anti-adhesion membrane is placed onto an implant introduced into a surgical site of a patient to prevent post-surgical adhesions between the implant and surrounding tissue. The implant may comprise either biological material, whcu as a transplanted organ, or non-biological material such as a medical device. The membrane may be applied in a variety of ways. In one example, a membrane according to the present invention is shrink-wrapped around a pace-maker. In another example, a breast implant is spray-coated or dipped with the membrane material.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of using a resorbable polymer base material in combination with an implant for attenuating adhesions between the implant and surrounding tissue following a surgical procedure in a human patient, the method comprising:
- providing a nonporous, resorbable polymer base material;
heat-shrinking the resorbable polymer base material in a form of a resorbable thin membrane around the implant to thereby cover surfaces of the implant, wherein the resorbable thin membrane comprises a resorbable polymer consisting essentially of;
a lactide polymer;
or a copolymer of two or more cyclic esters;
applying the implant and the resorbable thin membrane to a human patient in a region, which is susceptible to adhesions as a consequence of the surgical procedure; and
attenuating an occurrence of adhesion between the implant and surrounding tissue at the region within the human patient by way of the presence of the resorbable thin membrane positioned at the region within the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
- providing a nonporous, resorbable polymer base material;
Specification