A composition of Poly(e-caprolactone)—PLC—and Graphene Oxide (GO) for use in killing bacteria that cause infections in patients implanted with medical devices, for example Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. Also disclosed is a method for constructing PLC/GO fibers and fibrous scaffolds by additive manufacturing and wet spinning, employing the composition and for example 3D printing. The method and compositions can be developed to produce a fibrous scaffold in which fiber diameter and PLC/GO concentrations are such that GO sheets are incorporated but at the same time exposed at the polymer surface, coffering bactericidal properties to the material, while keeping biocompatibility. Also disclosed is a fibrous PLC/GO bactericidal scaffold and the implanted medical devices having such scaffold. The composition, method, scaffold and medical devices may be used to achieve PLC/GO scaffolds and medical devices with bactericidal properties that have reduced risk of implant-associated infections.

Disclosed are devices and methods for improving healing of an enthesis. An effective amount of a composition comprising one or more sex steroids and/or sex steroid equivalents is locally administered at the site of a repaired enthesis. The composition causes upregulation of one or more chondrogenic, angiogenic, and/or tendon modulation genes, resulting in improved healing of the enthesis. The improved enthesis healing occurs even where the subject has normal levels of sex hormones.

A composition comprising a plurality of electrospun fiber fragments comprising at least one polymer, a plurality of electrospun fiber fragment clusters comprising at least one polymer, and, optionally, a carrier medium, is disclosed. Also disclosed is a kit comprising a first component of a plurality of electrospun fiber fragments, and a second component of a carrier medium. Also disclosed is a composition comprising a plurality of micronized electrospun fiber fragments, a carrier medium, and, optionally, a plurality of cells. Also disclosed is a biocompatible textile comprising a plurality of micronized electrospun fiber fragments. Also disclosed is a biocompatible suture comprising at least one electrospun fiber. Also disclosed is a method for making a biocompatible suture, comprising electrospinning a polymer solution onto a receiving surface, forming one or more non-overlapping nanofiber threads, removing the nanofiber threads from the receiving surface, and cutting the nanofiber threads into one or more biocompatible sutures.

A topical copper ion treatment in basic form comprises a copper ion-containing solution composed of a biocompatible solution containing copper ions obtained by leaching of the copper ions from copper metal into the solution. The copper ion-containing solution can be combined with various carriers to form various forms of the copper ion treatment including creams, gels, lotions, foams, pastes, tampons, solutions, suppositories, body wipes, wound dressings, skin patches, and suture material. A method of making the copper ion-containing solution involves placing solid copper metal in a quantity of a biocompatible solution and maintaining the solution at a specified temperature for a predetermined period of time during which copper ions leach from the copper metal into the solution, and thereafter separating the solution from the solid copper metal.

The present disclosure provides a coating apparatus and method for applying a coating of a therapeutic agent, comprising an openable and sealable device compartment, a therapeutic agent positioned in communication with the device compartment, a thermal source for vaporizing the therapeutic agent, and a vacuum source in fluid communication with the device compartment.

Compositions are provided that have at least two of three active ingredients. The active ingredients maybe a salt having a cation N.sup.αC8-C16 alkanoyl-L di-basic amino acid —C1-C4 alkyl ester, a glycerol monoester of a fatty acid and a sugar ester of a fatty acid. The compositions are useful in methods of killing or inhibiting planktonic bacteria or fungi and bacteria or fungi embedded in a biofilm and prevention of biofilm formation on surfaces. The composition may further comprise a hydrogel and a benefit agent such as an antibiotic that can be solubilized by the hydrogel and supplied to the biofilm matrix by the active ingredients of the composition. Devices such as chronic wound coverings coated with the composition are also provided. Methods of preserving products with the composition are also provided.

A wound closure device can be provided as described herein. In an example, the wound closure device includes a first suture segment having a first suture configuration and a second suture segment having a second suture configuration. The first and second suture configurations can be different from each other. For example, the first suture configuration can includes a first set of characteristics such as barbed or non-barbed, barb sizes, filament sizes, colors, materials, and/or the like and the second suture configuration can include a second set of characteristics such as barbed or non-barbed, barb sizes, filament sizes, colors, materials and/or the like that can be different from the first set of characteristics. The wound closure device can further include connecting section configured to provide a transition from the first suture segment to the second suture segment.

The present invention relates to a thread embedding therapy rope and a thread embedding therapy needle apparatus comprising same, and disclosed are a thread embedding therapy rope and a needle apparatus comprising same, the rope comprising a linear core, which comprises a biodegradable polymer, and a metal wire, which is arranged to spirally encompass the outer circumferential surface of the linear core, wherein the metal wire comprises a biodegradable metal formed with magnesium or zinc as a main component, so as to have no side effects on biological tissue when applied to the human body by means of thread embedding therapy, pulling force on the tissue can be strengthened, lifespan can be extended over that of a conventional embedded thread of a biodegradable polymer, the drug loading capability of the embedded thread itself can be increased so as to allow for usefulness as a drug carrier, and a drug can be delivered through a simple method.

Hollow fiber drug delivery devices are described. Device can contain structural or solid fibers. Fabric can be formed by fibers being interwoven or joined to each other. All or some of the fibers can be resorbable. Fibers can be subdivided, by deformations or closure points, into numerous compartments that separately deliver drug. Deformations can be located at points of fiber intersection or joining. Different drug or drug formulation can be provided in different places. Fibers can be given appropriate surface treatments or coatings to achieve desired properties such as wetting of pores and surfaces. Different release characteristics in different directions can be achieved. The hollow fibers can contain solid particles of drug, and can contain gel. Possible applications include hernia meshes, pouches, sutures, catheters, wound dressings, stents, nerve regrowth guides, refillable/drainable devices, and devices that deliver drug to lymphatic flow.

The filament and suture products disclosed are to be implanted in the body, having non re sorbable ingredients with absorbent qualities to disperse an antibiotic and strong enough to hold tissue securely but flexible enough to be printed or knotted. The products are biocompatible and consist of two dissimilar polymers having unmelted cellulose fiber. These dissimilar polymers and the unmelted fibers are densified by compression and the removal of moisture having fiber orientation and alignment, showing low levels of radiopacity. These products will have radiopacity in household units (HU) ranging from −200 to 200 HU and produce meshes, bone grafts, scaffolds or wound care products where bone bridging can be observed.