Novel absorbable polymer blends are disclosed. The blends are useful for manufacturing medical devices having engineered degradation and breaking strength retention in vivo. The blends consist of a first absorbable polymeric component and a second absorbable polymeric component. The weight average molecular weight of the first polymeric component is higher than the weight average molecular weight of the second polymeric component. At least at least one of said components is at least partially end-capped by a carboxylic acid group. Further aspects are medical devices made therefrom.

In vitro and in vivo application of sub-atmospheric, negative pressure on growth factor starting material, such as whole blood, extracts growth factors from the platelet granules of the growth factor starting material in a non-destructive medium without activating the clotting process. The extracted growth factors are released into a growth factor composition containing blood plasma, extracellular fluid or interstitial fluid depending upon the type and location of the growth factor starting material. The growth factors have a weight of about 70-76 kDaltons and are applied in either a filtered or unfiltered state topically to the area of a surface wound to effect healing. The extracted growth factors are also injected into soft tissue, such as a torn tendon, to promote tissue growth and healing. The growth factors are released in one method from a patient's own blood. In another method the growth factors are released from a whole blood source and freeze dried by lyophilization. Then at a later date, the freeze-dried product is reconstituted by normal saline for treatment of a patient's wound, for use in a surgical procedure, or for tissue regeneration.

Polyurea systems comprising: (a) an amino-functional aspartic ester of the general formula (I) ##STR00001##
wherein X represents an n-valent organic radical derived from a corresponding n-functional primary amine X(NH.sub.2).sub.n, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each independently represent an organic radical having no Zerevitinov active hydrogens and n represents an integer of at least 2; and (b) an isocyanate functional prepolymer having a residual monomer content of less than 1% by weight, the prepolymer prepared by reacting: (b1) an aliphatic isocyante; and (b2) a polyol component having a number average molecular weight of 400 g/mol and an average OH functionality of 2 to 6, wherein the polyol component comprises one or more constituents selected from the group consisting of polyester polyols, polyester-polyether polyols and mixtures thereof; processes for making the same; postoperative adhesions barriers prepared therewith and dispensing systems for such polyurea systems.

Tissue fillers derived from decellularized tissues are provided. The tissue fillers can include acellular tissue matrices that have reduced inflammatory responses when implanted in a body. Also provided are methods of making and therapeutic uses for the tissue fillers.

Disclosed herein are therapeutic polymer gel systems for promoting healing of a wound or surgical site in a subject. The therapeutic polymer gel forms a microporous network and may be applied or injected in a fluid form and annealed or crosslinked after application to the wound or surgical site. The microporous gel may optionally contain various therapeutic agents throughout the therapeutic polymer gel which are released.

A biological composition has a mixture of mechanically selected allogeneic biologic material derived from bone marrow. The mixture has non-whole cellular components including vesicular components and active and inactive components of biological activity, cell fragments, cellular excretions, cellular derivatives, and extracellular components. The mixture is compatible with biologic function.

The present invention relates to an extrudable photocrosslinkable hydrogel comprising a biochemically modified extracellular matrix (ECM) with an electroconductive nanomaterial embedded; a photoinitiator and a solvent, the method for its preparation starting from decellularized extracellular matrices (dECMs) and its applications for preparing electroconductive scaffolds, electroconductive extrudable hydrogels for in situ defect-filling, conductive grafts, in situ or in vitro printed tissues or organs, adhesives for different tissues, or bone adhesives.

An engineered vocal fold mucosa, including an engineered lamina propria layer and an engineered squamous epithelium layer, is disclosed. The engineered lamina propria is made by seeding and culturing human vocal fold fibroblasts within a polymerized collagen scaffold, and the engineered squamous epithelium is made by culturing human vocal fold epithelial cells on the scaffold surface. The resulting engineered vocal fold mucosa is not immunogenic, and is capable of exhibiting the vibratory function and acoustic output of a native vocal fold mucosa. Accordingly, the engineered vocal fold mucosa may be implanted into the larynx to treat voice impairment.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a composition, wherein the composition is a porous scaffold, wherein the pores of the scaffold are from 1 to 500 microns, the composition comprising: a) a cross-linkable protein selected from the group consisting of collagen and gelatin; b) a cross-linker which induces cross-linking of the cross-linkable protein; and c) a liquid.

The present chitosan-based superfine fiber invention relates to compositions, formulations, and processes that result in numerous significant advantages for the production and use of superfine fiber bioactive matrices in biomedical applications. The present invention relates to superfine, chitosan-based fibers, wherein the chitosan-based fibers have a percentage chitosan content of at least about 20% w/w, and highly conformable and compliant matrices comprising such fibers, processes for their production, and related formulations. The superfine chitosan-based fibers of the invention preferably include microfibers with diameter less than or equal to about 10 microns and micron and submicron fibers that are about 2 microns and less.