The present invention provides threads of hyaluronic acid, and/or derivatives thereof, methods of making thereof and uses thereof, for example, in aesthetic applications (e.g., dermal fillers), surgery (sutures), drug delivery, etc.

The subject invention provides materials methods for reducing infections in subjects. The materials methods utilize chlorhexidine, which has been found to be surprisingly non-toxic. The lack of toxicity facilitates the use of chlorhexidine in contexts that were not previously thought to be possible.

Medical devices comprising an anti-connexin agent suitable for introduction into a subject.

A staple cartridge assembly comprising a tissue thickness compensator is disclosed. The tissue thickness compensator comprises a first fibrous, woven material and a second fibrous, woven material. The first fibrous, woven material comprises a density which is different than the density of the second fibrous, woven material. The tissue thickness compensator is configured to expand upon contact with a fluid in order to apply a compressive force to tissue captured within staples.

A one-way loop locking suture assembly, that includes suture material, defining a lumen, with the suture material being comprised of a first terminal portion extending from the first end to a first broaching point, a medial portion extending from the first broaching to a second broaching point and a second terminal portion extending from the second broaching point to the second end. The first terminal portion enters into the lumen of the medial portion at the second broaching point, extends through the lumen of the medial portion and exits the lumen of the medial portion through the first broaching point, thereby forming a loop, wherein the medial portion includes the first terminal portion extending through the lumen of the medial portion. Accordingly, when the loop is tightened about a pair of pins, the lumen of the medial portion narrows, thereby retaining the first terminal length and preventing loosening.

A synthetic heart valve is made from a valve graft of synthetic material and more particularly expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). The valve graft has an upper portion defined by a first thickness and a lower portion defined by a second thickness which is greater than the first thickness. The valve graft is formed into a cylindrical sleeve having a diameter and a folded region. A flexible stent overlays the cylindrical sleeve, wherein a series of leaflets are formed in the lower portion of the sleeve, the leaflets defining a semicircular perimeter. The leaflets are sutured to the cylindrical sleeve and the cylindrical sleeve is sutured to the flexible stent, the stent having a plurality of bent cylindrical wire segments that are welded together and in which the sleeve is sutured to the wire, including the welded areas of the stent. The formed valve can be implanted using a balloon catheter.

A synthetic heart valve is made from a valve graft of synthetic material and more particularly expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). The valve graft has an upper portion defined by a first thickness and a lower portion defined by a second thickness which is greater than the first thickness. The valve graft is formed into a cylindrical sleeve having a diameter and a folded region. A flexible stent overlays the cylindrical sleeve, wherein a series of leaflets are formed in the lower portion of the sleeve, the leaflets defining a semicircular perimeter. The leaflets are sutured to the cylindrical sleeve and the cylindrical sleeve is sutured to the flexible stent, the stent having a plurality of bent cylindrical wire segments that are welded together and in which the sleeve is sutured to the wire, including the welded areas of the stent. The formed valve can be implanted using a balloon catheter.

Copper ion treatments for dermatological areas of the body include solutions, creams, lotions, gels, foams, wound dressings, skin patches and suture material, each containing copper ions that bring about therapeutic effects when the copper ion treatments are applied to dermatological tissue. Methods of treating dermatological areas of the body include treatments for use on the skin and nails to treat conditions including disease, infection, inflammation, damaged or injured tissue, tissue needing to be sutured, rashes and other undesirable dermatological conditions.

This invention is related to the field of medical device implants. In particular, the invention is related to sutures and antibacterial coatings that comprise collagen. In particular, some of the collagen-based coatings prevent and control of bacterial infections that result from the use of medical device implants (e.g., head and neck implants). One method of preventing post-medical device implant bacterial infections comprises using a medical device coated with a biologic antimicrobial coating. For example, one such coating comprises a covalently crosslinked heparin-collagen sheet.

The invention relates to a suture thread material comprising at least one polymer and at least one eutectic mixture. The polymer can be a biocompatible polymer such as polycaprolactone or PLGA. The eutectic mixture may comprise maleic acid and an antibiotic such as metronidazole. Other eutectic mixtures can be used in suture thread materials to reduce SSis and/or to decrease pain and/or to increase lubricity of sutures. The invention also provides a method for the production of sutures with drug loadings, the method comprising the use of therapeutic deep eutectic solvent (THEDES) technology to significantly increase drug content in suture matrices.