Provided are the use of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-butyl methacrylate) in preparing an embolism material for blood vessels, an embolism material for blood vessels and the use thereof in preparation of drugs. The embolism material for blood vessels comprises poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-butyl methacrylate) and a dispersion medium consisting of an electrolyte, a contrast agent, a pH regulator and water. The concentrations of the polymer, electrolyte and contrast agent are respectively 5-30 mg/ml, 0.1-30 mg/ml and 100-350 mg/ml based on iodine. The embolism material for blood vessels is suitable for embolization therapy of tumors in hypervascular and parenchymal visceral organs.

A method for forming a porous implant suitable for a cavity from which tissue has been removed includes incorporating a gas or a pore forming agent into an alginate solution; transferring the alginate solution with the gas or the pore forming agent into a solidified body mold having a desired shape with an outer surface; removing the water from the solidified body; and subjecting the solidified body to a conversion solution to convert the outer surface to a less soluble alginate creating a composition comprising the outer surface having less soluble alginate and a core having more soluble alginate.

The present invention provides a dry powder that is suitable for use in forming a hydrogel and characterized by a stable composition at ambient conditions. The dry powder includes a prepolymer including a straight chain polyethylene glycol, and a thermally activated free radical initiator selected from the group consisting of sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate, and ammonium persulfate. The present invention also provides a method of forming the dry powder, and a method of preparing a hydrogel where a reaction mixture is formed including the dry powder and a buffered aqueous solution.

Provided is a liquid embolic agent composition capable of solving problems of conventional embolic agents, which can be used in a treatment of a vascular disease such as cerebral aneurysm. The problems are solved by a liquid embolic agent composition characterized in containing a hydrogel forming component having a calcium ion entrapping ability, and an anti-biodegradation component. The hydrogel forming component having a calcium ion entrapping ability is at least one kind of acidic polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of alginate, gellan gum, carrageenan, and carboxymethyl cellulose salt; and the anti-biodegradation component is at least one kind selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, methylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyallylamine, poly-N-vinyl acetamide, and cellulose acetate.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods useful for treating structures of the vertebral column, including vertebral bodies. In one embodiment, a method for promoting bone formation in a vertebral body comprising providing a composition comprising a PDGF solution and a biocompatible matrix and applying the composition to at least one vertebral body. Promoting bone formation in a vertebral body, according to some embodiments, can increase bone volume, mass, and/or density leading to an increase in mechanical strength of the vertebral body treated with a composition of the present invention.

A prosthetic implant with improved properties, suitable for implantation to the human body, comprising a composite comprising a base material and a plurality of additives, wherein the additives are selected from radiolucent additives and/or hyperechoic additives; or wherein the additives are selected to reduce the solvent concentration by between 5%-95%; or wherein the additives are selected to increase the elastic modulus by more than 20%; or wherein the additives are selected for combining these effects.

A variety of nitric oxide-releasing vascular grafts and prostheses are provided. Methods of making the nitric oxide-releasing vascular grafts and prostheses are also provided. Methods of administering the nitric oxide-releasing vascular grafts and prostheses to a subject in need thereof are also provided. The nitric oxide-releasing vascular grafts and prostheses have a base layer made of a graft material and a nitric oxide-releasing layer made from a polymer matrix including a plurality of polysiloxanes and a plurality of nitric oxide-donating crosslinking moieties covalently crosslinking polysiloxanes in the plurality of polysiloxanes. In some aspects, the vascular grafts and prostheses can provide for reduced infection rates and increased patency by providing for prolonged local delivery of nitric oxide when implanted in a vessel of a subject in need thereof.

Methods and devices for facilitating post-resection tissue formation to accelerate healing are provided. A hydrogel scaffold with encapsulated cells may be prepared. The encapsulated cells may be cells of the patient undergoing the resection that correspond to a type of the tissue resected. The hydrogel scaffold may be integrated with a frame to form an implantable device for insertion into a cavity created by the resection. The hydrogel scaffold and the frame may be bioabsorbable, and the frame may include non-bioabsorbable, radiopaque markers spaced along the frame. Upon insertion of the implantable device into the cavity, the encapsulated cells may interact with native cells to facilitate new tissue formation within the hydrogel scaffold and other areas of the cavity, the frame may provide temporary structural support for the cavity to reduce deformations as new tissue is being formed, and the markers may enable identification of the resection site.

Described herein are formulations that transition from a liquid state to a solid state for use in the embolization of arteriovenous malformations (AVM's) and solid tumors.

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.