Method and device for producing shaped microbial cellulose for use as a biomaterial, especially for microsurgery
First Claim
1. Method for producing shaped microbial cellulose for application as biomaterial, in particular for microsurgical applications, in which a sterilized culture medium is inoculated with cellulose generating bacteria, for example, with a strain of the microorganism Acetobacter xylinum generating a form-stable cellulose layer, and the bacteria are cultivated in a space between the walls of a shaping body and in which the biomaterial (cellulose) resulting from the cultivation is isolated from the walls of the shaping body as well as subjected to a cleaning procedure, characterized in that the walls of the shaping body are immersed into a vessel containing the inoculated culture medium and the microorganism is cultivated for cellulose formation in both, in the vessel and in the space between the walls of the shaping body in a moist and aerobic environment, and in that in each inculturing process an unused shaping body of high surface quality is used as a shaping body wall for shaping the prosthesis material surface which, when the biomaterial is applied, comes into contact with the blood.
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Abstract
The use of exogenic materials for replacing blood vessels carries the risk of thrombosis and is therefore particularly unsuitable for microsurgical applications (inner vessel diameters of 1-3 mm and less), or only suitable under certain conditions. Replacements of blood vessels with a very small lumen in particular require biomaterials which guarantee that the surfaces of the prosthesis that come into contact with the blood are of a very high quality, and which reliably avoid this kind of thrombosis adhesion. The biomaterial is produced by immersing shaped body walls, especially of a glass matrix consisting of a glass tube and glass body, in a container of an inoculated nutrient solution so that the inoculated nutrient solution is drawn into the area between the walls of the shaped body and cultivation takes place in a moist, aerobic environment. In each subsequent cultivation process, an unused shaped body (glass body) is used as the shaped body wall for shaping the surface of the prosthesis material that is to come into contact with the blood when the biomaterial is used. This is the only sure way of reproducing the high surface quality of the vessel prosthesis and hereby reliably preventing thrombosis adhesion on the biomaterial used. The inventive method is particularly suitable for microsurgical applications, especially for replacing blood vessels and other internal hollow organs or as a cuff for covering nerve fibres, etc.
16 Citations
7 Claims
- 1. Method for producing shaped microbial cellulose for application as biomaterial, in particular for microsurgical applications, in which a sterilized culture medium is inoculated with cellulose generating bacteria, for example, with a strain of the microorganism Acetobacter xylinum generating a form-stable cellulose layer, and the bacteria are cultivated in a space between the walls of a shaping body and in which the biomaterial (cellulose) resulting from the cultivation is isolated from the walls of the shaping body as well as subjected to a cleaning procedure, characterized in that the walls of the shaping body are immersed into a vessel containing the inoculated culture medium and the microorganism is cultivated for cellulose formation in both, in the vessel and in the space between the walls of the shaping body in a moist and aerobic environment, and in that in each inculturing process an unused shaping body of high surface quality is used as a shaping body wall for shaping the prosthesis material surface which, when the biomaterial is applied, comes into contact with the blood.
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