Provided is an implant configured to fit at or near a bone defect to promote bone growth. The implant comprises an oxysterol uniformly disposed in an acellular tissue matrix (ATM). The acellular tissue matrix can be porcine collagen, which in some cases is crosslinked. The implant can contain an acellular porcine crosslinked collagen in an amount of about 5 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of the implant and an oxysterol in an amount of about 5 wt. % to about 90 wt. % of the implant. The oxysterol can be Oxy133 monohydrate or an Oxy133 polymorph. Methods of making and using the implant are further provided.

A medical implant for cartilage and/or bone repair at an articulating surface of a joint is provided. The implant includes a contoured implant body and at least one extending post. The implant body has an articulating surface configured to face the articulating part of the joint and a bone contact surface configured to face the bone structure of a joint, where the articulating and bone contact surfaces face mutually opposite directions and the bone contact surface is provided with the extending post. A cartilage contact surface connects the articulating and the bone contact surfaces and is configured to contact the cartilage surrounding the implant body in a joint. The articulating surface has a layer that is formed of titanium nitride (TiN) as the wear-resistant material. The cartilage contact surface has a coating that is formed of a material having chondrointegration properties.

The present invention provides radical crosslinked zwitterionic gels, methods of preparing the radical crosslinked zwitterionic gels, and methods of using the radical crosslinked zwitterionic gels for treating a wound.

The present invention is comprised in the cosmetic and/or therapeutic industry and specifically relates to a new composition for topical use with antioxidant and hydrating activity which promotes wound healing and is useful in therapeutic and/or cosmetic treatment, as well as in the prevention of skin lesions.

The novel composition object of the present invention incorporates certain agents and ingredients, among which are carotenoids and the galactomannans, which surprisingly improve the healing and curing activity in a broad spectrum of wounds occurring with the presence of reactive oxygen species.

A scaffold-free nerve conduit and a method of making the scaffold-free nerve conduit are provided. A nerve-repair method using the scaffold-free nerve conduit also is provided.

Disclosed are new classes of diphenol compounds, derived from tyrosol or tyrosol analogues, which are useful as monomers for preparation of biocompatible polymers. Also disclosed are biocompatible polymers prepared from these monomeric diphenol compounds, including novel biodegradable and/or bioresorbable polymers of formula ##STR00001## These biocompatible polymers or polymer compositions with enhanced bioresorbabilty and processibility are useful in a variety of medical applications, such as in medical devices and controlled-release therapeutic compositions. The invention also provides methods for preparing these monomeric diphenol compounds and biocompatible polymers.

A crystallized bioabsorbable polymer scaffold comprises a polymer composition of poly (L-lactide-co-tri-methylene-carbonate) or poly (D-lactide-co-tri-methylene-carbonate) or poly (L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) or poly (D-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) in the form of block copolymers of blocky copolymers, wherein the scaffold is cold-bendable.

A method for preparing placenta membrane tissue grafts for medical use, includes obtaining a placenta from a subject, cleaning the placenta, separating the chorion tissue from the amniotic membrane, mounting a selected layer of either the chorion tissue or the amniotic membrane onto a drying fixture, dehydrating the selected layer on the drying fixture, and cutting the selected layer into a plurality of tissue grafts. Preferably, the drying fixture includes grooves or raised edges that define the outer contours of each desired tissue graft, after they are cut, and further includes raised or indented logos that emboss the middle area of the tissue grafts during dehydration and that enables an end user to distinguish the top from the bottom side of the graft. The grafts are comprised of single layers of amnion or chorion, multiple layers of amnion or chorion, or multiple layers of a combination of amnion and chorion.

A microporous gel system for certain applications, including biomedical applications, includes an aqueous solution containing plurality of microgel particles including a biodegradable crosslinker. In some aspects, the microgel particles act as gel building blocks that anneal to one another to form a covalently-stabilized scaffold of microgel particles having interstitial spaces therein. In certain aspects, annealing of the microgel particles occurs after exposure to an annealing agent that is endogenously present or exogenously added. In some embodiments, annealing of the microgel particles requires the presence of an initiator such as exposure to light. In particular embodiments, the chemical and physical properties of the gel building blocks can be controlled to allow downstream control of the resulting assembled scaffold. In one or more embodiments, cells are able to quickly infiltrate the interstitial spaces of the assembled scaffold.

Methods of accelerating or improving the healing of a skin graft or skin grafting site in a subject are provided comprising administering to the subject an amount of an inhibitor of fidgetin-like 2.