The present invention relates to an orally administrable intragastric balloon encapsulated so that, once it is in the stomach, the capsules dissolves and increases its volume thanks to the presence, inside thereof, of a superabsorbent edible polymer able of absorbing the water contained in the stomach.

The present invention relates to an orally administrable intragastric balloon encapsulated so that, once it is in the stomach, the capsules dissolves and increases its volume thanks to the presence, inside thereof, of a superabsorbent edible polymer able of absorbing the water contained in the stomach.

The invention relates to a marker body (10) for marking breast tissue for radiotherapy. The marker body (10) has an at least partly tube-like body (12) which is made from a soft elastic material and carries multiple radio-opaque marker elements (18). The at least partly tube-like body (12) is designed so that it offers hardly any resistance to an external, deforming force, but returns to its original shape in the absence of external forces. The at least partly tube-like body (12) has two free longitudinal ends (14, 16) which can be detachably interconnected or are interconnected, resulting in a tubular ring.

The invention relates to a marker body (10) for marking breast tissue for radiotherapy. The marker body (10) has an at least partly tube-like body (12) which is made from a soft elastic material and carries multiple radio-opaque marker elements (18). The at least partly tube-like body (12) is designed so that it offers hardly any resistance to an external, deforming force, but returns to its original shape in the absence of external forces. The at least partly tube-like body (12) has two free longitudinal ends (14, 16) which can be detachably interconnected or are interconnected, resulting in a tubular ring.

Side-chain crystallizable (SCC) polymers are useful in various medical applications. In certain applications, heavy atom containing side-chain crystallizable polymers (HACSCCP's) are particularly useful. An example of a HACSCCP is a polymer that comprises a main chain, a plurality of crystallizable side chains, and a plurality of heavy atoms attached to the polymer. In certain configurations, the heavy atoms are present in an amount that is effective to render the polymer radiopaque. A polymeric material that includes an HACSCCP may be fabricated into a medical device useful for at least partially occluding a body cavity. For example, such a medical device may be an embolotherapy product. A polymeric material that includes a SCC polymer may also be fabricated into other medical devices, such as stents.

Side-chain crystallizable (SCC) polymers are useful in various medical applications. In certain applications, heavy atom containing side-chain crystallizable polymers (HACSCCP's) are particularly useful. An example of a HACSCCP is a polymer that comprises a main chain, a plurality of crystallizable side chains, and a plurality of heavy atoms attached to the polymer. In certain configurations, the heavy atoms are present in an amount that is effective to render the polymer radiopaque. A polymeric material that includes an HACSCCP may be fabricated into a medical device useful for at least partially occluding a body cavity. For example, such a medical device may be an embolotherapy product. A polymeric material that includes a SCC polymer may also be fabricated into other medical devices, such as stents.

The present invention relates to a stent having a functional material coated on a cell space (safe coating space) thereof. The stent of the present invention, as a stent having a space for mounting and coating drugs and other materials for expanding the functions of the stent, is highly feasible as an actual product in consideration of the structure, transfer device, and manufacturing process of the stent as a whole, and secures a coating space (safe coating space) of a functional material in a cell of the stent through quantitative and qualitative modelling. Since an additional increase in volume does not occur even when the stent is press-mounted in a transfer device as a result of mounting a radio marker or a drug in the coating space, the stent of the present invention has excellent radio opacity without obstructing the loading and deployment of the stent, and may stably mount a great amount of a functional drug.

The present invention relates to a stent having a functional material coated on a cell space (safe coating space) thereof. The stent of the present invention, as a stent having a space for mounting and coating drugs and other materials for expanding the functions of the stent, is highly feasible as an actual product in consideration of the structure, transfer device, and manufacturing process of the stent as a whole, and secures a coating space (safe coating space) of a functional material in a cell of the stent through quantitative and qualitative modelling. Since an additional increase in volume does not occur even when the stent is press-mounted in a transfer device as a result of mounting a radio marker or a drug in the coating space, the stent of the present invention has excellent radio opacity without obstructing the loading and deployment of the stent, and may stably mount a great amount of a functional drug.

A medication impregnated bone cement (MIBC) coated intramedullary (IM) nail for fixation of a long bone fracture comprising an IM nail base and medication impregnated bone cement. The bone cement encapsulates at least a portion of the IM nail base and forms an interface between the adjacent surfaces of the IM nail base and the bone cement. The interface between the encapsulating bone cement and the encapsulated IM nail base being enhanced to increase the adhesion of the encapsulating bone cement to the encapsulated IM nail base. The increase in adhesion being sufficient to ensure that the encapsulating bone cement remains adhered to the encapsulated IM nail base when the medication impregnated bone cement coated intramedullary nail is removed from the long bone.

A medication impregnated bone cement (MIBC) coated intramedullary (IM) nail for fixation of a long bone fracture comprising an IM nail base and medication impregnated bone cement. The bone cement encapsulates at least a portion of the IM nail base and forms an interface between the adjacent surfaces of the IM nail base and the bone cement. The interface between the encapsulating bone cement and the encapsulated IM nail base being enhanced to increase the adhesion of the encapsulating bone cement to the encapsulated IM nail base. The increase in adhesion being sufficient to ensure that the encapsulating bone cement remains adhered to the encapsulated IM nail base when the medication impregnated bone cement coated intramedullary nail is removed from the long bone.