In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods for making resorbable ear tubes including the steps of providing a silk fibroin solution, and forming a silk ear tube from the silk fibroin solution, wherein the silk ear tube is less than 2 mm in length and has an outer diameter of less than 1.5 mm, and wherein the silk ear tube is resorbable. In some embodiments, the present invention also provides methods for treating otitis media including the step of introducing a silk ear tube into the ear canal of a subject, wherein the silk ear tube is less than 2 mm in length and has an outer diameter of less than 1.5 mm, and wherein the silk ear tube is resorbed by the subject.

This present invention relates to drug eluting polymers, including novel biodegradable drug eluting polymers, which are added to the surface of a medical device to treat device associated complications and to deliver drug locally around the device. Methods of making polymers, for example, drug-eluting polymers, polymer compositions, and materials used therewith also are provided. The drug eluting polymers are obtained from the polymerization of macromonomers made of a connecting moiety, a biodegradable moiety and a cross-linkable moiety that are liquids at a temperature of 10° C. to 40° C.

Methods have been discovered that make it possible to continuously extrude tubes of P4HB and copolymers thereof. These methods allow tubes of P4HB and copolymers thereof to be produced without radial deformation of the tubes despite the slow crystallization of the polymer and copolymers. The methods can produce tubes of P4HB and copolymers thereof with tightly defined outside and inside diameters which are required for medical application. These tubes are produced by radial expansion at temperatures above the melting temperature of P4HB and copolymers thereof, and using low tube cooling temperatures and prolonged cooling times. The tubes made from P4HB and copolymers thereof are flexible, and can be prepared with high elongation to break values.

The present invention provides insertable medical devices having elastic surfaces associated with bioactive agent-containing microparticulates and a coating material. Upon expansion of the elastic surfaces the microparticulates can be released to a subject.

The invention provides compositions featuring chitosan and methods for using such compositions for the local delivery of biologically active agents to an open fracture, complex wound or other site of infection. Advantageously, the degradation and drug elution profiles of the chitosan compositions can be tailored to the needs of particular patients at the point of care (e.g., in a surgical suite, clinic, physician's office, or other clinical setting).

Medical devices that are flushable in a standard toilet are disclosed. The medical devices are made at least in part of material that when introduced into water (of a toilet) disintegrate and/or fragment or are fragmentable before or after introduction into water such that they can be easily carried by the water through the disposal system. At least a portion of the device is intended for insertion into a patient or subject wherein the body-insertable portion retains its structural integrity while in use but is fragmentable once outside the body and exposed to a selected condition.

A method of preventing infection resulting from implanting a medical device. The method includes installing a polymer device at least substantially within a subcutaneous pocket formed to contain a housing of the medical device, and installing the medical device housing in the subcutaneous pocket. The polymer device includes a bioresorbable polymer structure and an antimicrobial agent configured to elute from the polymer structure. The polymer device covers less than about 20% of the surface area of the medical device housing.

Compositions comprising electrospun fibers and pharmaceutical agents encapsulated thereto are provided. Further, articles such as medical devices and methods of use of said fibers, including, but not limited to coating of medical tubes, are provided.

An absorbable, biocompatible barbed microcatheter for delivering therapeutic fluids to a patient includes a hollow tube having an elongated lumen that extends between proximal and distal ends of the hollow tube, a plurality of barbs projecting from the hollow tube, and a plurality of fluid egress openings formed in the hollow tube that are in fluid communication with the elongated lumen. The fluid egress openings are evenly spaced from one another along the length of the hollow tube. An anchor is secured to the proximal end of the hollow tube, and a surgical needle is secured to the distal end of the hollow tube. Two or more of the fluid egress openings formed in the hollow tube have different sizes so that a first fluid egress opening located adjacent the anchor is larger than a second fluid egress opening adjacent the surgical needle.

A balloon implantation kit includes an inflatable biodegradable balloon configured to be implanted in a human body and a hydrogel composition. In some cases, the hydrogel composition is provided in a container configured to be introduced into the biodegradable balloon. For some applications, the biodegradable balloon includes a joint spacer for treatment of a joint of a human subject, such as a subacromial spacer, a glenohumeral spacer, or a spacer for another joint, such as a knee, hip, ankle, or hand (e.g., CMC1) joint. In these applications, the biodegradable balloon is configured to be inserted into a space of a joint of the human body, and is shaped to provide mechanical support to the joint until the biodegradable balloon resorbs into the human body. For other applications, the biodegradable balloon includes a soft tissue spacer.