Tissue augmentation material and method

• US 7,968,110 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2003
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Merz North America Incorporated (Merz Pharma GmbH & Company Kgaa)
• Original Assignee: Merz Aesthetics, Inc. (Merz Pharma GmbH & Company Kgaa)
• Inventors: Hubbard, William G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Azpuru; Carlos
• Application Number:
  US10/737,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20040185021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,751 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 424/423
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0036 implantable A61F2/0018 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2400/06 Flowable or injectable implant compositions
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/10 Ceramics or glasses
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/446 with other specific inorganic fillers other than those covered by A61L27/443 or A61L27/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/46 with phosphorus-containing inorganic fillers
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/50 Materials characterised by their function or physical properties , e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/52 Hydrogels or hydrocolloids
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/447 based on phosphates , e.g. hydroxyapatite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/6365 Cellulose or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/26 Cellulose ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 5/00 Compositions of polysaccharides or of their derivatives not provided for in groups C08L1/00 or C08L3/00

Abstract

A material and method for augmenting soft tissue. The tissue augmentation material consists essentially of water and a polysaccharide gel former selected from the group consisting of a cellulose polysaccharide, starch, chitin, chitosan, hyaluronic acid, hydrophobe modified polysaccharide, an alginate, a carrageenan, agar, agarose, an intramolecular complex of a polysaccharide, an oligosaccharide and a macrocylic polysaccharide. Glycerin may also be included. The material may be used to augment soft tissue in a variety of areas, including the facial region and vocal folds.

Claims

1. An injectable tissue augmentation solution for augmenting soft tissue with adjusted viscosity and elasticity for a specific tissue application, consisting essentially of:

(1) water;

(2) glycerin;

(3) an analgesic; and

(4) a water soluble polysaccharide gel former consisting of a combination of sodium alginate and hyaluronic acid, whereby the augmentation solution of the water and polysaccharide gel has its viscosity and elasticity adjusted for injection into a soft tissue site.

2. A method for augmenting soft tissue, comprising the steps of:

providing a syringe including a tissue augmentation solution stored therein, the tissue augmentation solution consisting essentially of;

(1) water;

(2) glycerin;

(3) an analgesic; and

(4) a water soluble polysaccharide gel former selected from the group consisting of agar methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, chitosan, sodium alginate, xanthan, hyaluronic acid and combinations thereof, whereby the augmentation solution of the water and polysaccharide gel has its viscosity and elasticity adjusted for a specific augmentation tissue application in soft tissue; and

injecting the tissue augmentation solution into a soft tissue site.

3. The tissue augmentation method of claim 2, wherein the water soluble polysaccharide gel former is a combination of sodium alginate and hyaluronic acid.