A medical device-includes a scaffold crimped to a catheter having an expansion balloon. The scaffold is crimped to the balloon by a process that includes inflating the delivery balloon during a diameter reduction to improve scaffold retention and maintaining an inflated balloon during the diameter reduction and prior and subsequent dwell periods.

A medical device-includes a scaffold crimped to a catheter having an expansion balloon. The scaffold is crimped to the balloon by a process that includes inflating the delivery balloon during a diameter reduction to improve scaffold retention and maintaining an inflated balloon during the diameter reduction and prior and subsequent dwell periods.

The present invention relates to a melt extrusion process for preparing a solid dispersion comprising a pharmaceutically active ingredient, a polymeric binder, and, optionally, one or more auxiliary agents, comprising a) in a batch-wise operation, placing a pre-determined amount of the polymeric binder, a pre-determined amount of the active ingredient, and, optionally, a pre-determined amount of the auxiliary agent(s) in a melting vessel; melting the polymeric binder with agitation to disperse the active ingredient in the polymeric binder to obtain a molten pre-dispersion; b) feeding the pre-dispersion into an extruder to homogenize the pre-dispersion and release a melt through a die; and c) allowing the melt to solidify.

A device for positioning in the body of an animal, the device comprising a first portion and a second portion that may be positioned in contact with one other, the first portion and the second portion each comprising a biocompatible conductive thermoplastic material, such that when the device is positioned in the body of an animal and electric current flows from the first portion to the second portion, heat is generated by electrical resistance at the point of contact between the first portion and the second portion so as to melt regions of the first portion and the second portion, and when the electric current is thereafter terminated, the melted regions of the first portion and the second portion re-solidify so that a weld is formed between the first portion and the second portion.

A device for positioning in the body of an animal, the device comprising a first portion and a second portion that may be positioned in contact with one other, the first portion and the second portion each comprising a biocompatible conductive thermoplastic material, such that when the device is positioned in the body of an animal and electric current flows from the first portion to the second portion, heat is generated by electrical resistance at the point of contact between the first portion and the second portion so as to melt regions of the first portion and the second portion, and when the electric current is thereafter terminated, the melted regions of the first portion and the second portion re-solidify so that a weld is formed between the first portion and the second portion.

Preforms and methods of processing 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) polymers, such as poly(ethylene-2,5-furandicaboxylate (PEF), to produce preforms and articles, such as containers. The present invention also includes preforms with superior processing characteristics and containers, such as PEF beverage bottles, with superior performance properties.

The present invention provides constructs including a tubular biodegradable polyglycolic acid scaffold, wherein the scaffold may be coated with extracellular matrix proteins and substantially acellular. The constructs can be utilized as an arteriovenous graft, a coronary graft, a peripheral artery bypass conduit, or a urinary conduit. The present invention also provides methods of producing such constructs.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a nerve conduit, more particularly to an apparatus for manufacturing a porous nerve conduit using glass fibers whereby microchannels are formed using the space between the glass fibers and the defective rate and location-dependent variation of each nerve conduit can be minimized through uniform decompression during the manufacture. The nerve conduit manufactured according to the present disclosure can be manufactured to have various diameters and lengths to be applicable to in vitro and in vivo researches on nerves.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a transdermal absorption sheet which makes it possible to manufacture a transdermal absorption sheet with a stable shape. The method for manufacturing a transdermal absorption sheet includes a step of forming a drug layer (110) on needle-like recess portions (42) of a mold (50) having the needle-like recess portions (42), a step of supplying a polymer layer forming solution (112) to the inside of a step portion (52) of the mold (50), a step of drying the polymer layer forming solution (112) so as to form a polymer layer (114) and a transdermal absorption sheet (120), and a step of peeling off the transdermal absorption sheet (120) from the mold (50). In the step of peeling off, pressing force is applied to a part of the step portion (52) in a second direction (B) opposite to a first direction (A) in which the transdermal absorption sheet (120) is released from the mold (50), and the transdermal absorption sheet (120) is aspirated with a vacuum suction pad (160) from a side opposite to the mold (50) so that the transdermal absorption sheet (120) is peeled off from the mold (50) in the first direction (A).

Compositions of high molecular weight poly(hydroxy acid) polymer having good thermal stability and a weight average molecular weight of >100,000 by GPC. The compositions include one or more chain-terminator compounds/impurities which may be incorporated into the polymer and rendered harmless by the presence of appropriate amounts of bi-functional and multi-functional polymerization initiators. A process including first mixing glycolic acid and/or lactic acid (with chain-terminators), and a diol or di-acid initiator, and at least one multifunctional initiator to form a liquid monomer mixture in an agitated polycondensation reactor. Next, polycondensing to form a liquid reaction mixture comprising a pre-polymer having a weight average molecular weight of >10,000 by GPC, and greater than 80% by mole hydroxyl or carboxyl end-group termination, then crystallizing to form a first solid reaction mixture. Then, solid state polycondensing the solid reaction mixture to form a solid reaction mixture having a moisture level less than 50 ppm by weight. Then, mixing the solid reaction mixture with an appropriate reactive coupling agent in a melting and mixing extruder to couple and form the reaction mixture and form the final poly(hydroxy acid) polymer.