Abstract: A method of treating the surface of a medical device with a biomolecule comprising the steps of: providing a polyolefin substrate forming a medical device; cleaning the polyolefin substrate; exposing the polyolefin substrate to a reactive gas containing acrylic acid and to plasma energy to yield a plasma-deposited polyacrylic acid coating on the polyolefin substrate; and attaching a biomolecule, such as heparin, to the polyolefin substrate following formation of the plasma-deposited polyacrylic acid coating on the polyolefin substrate.

Abstract: A method of treating the surface of a medical device with a biomolecule comprising the steps of: providing a polyolefin substrate forming a medical device; cleaning the polyolefin substrate; exposing the polyolefin substrate to a reactive gas containing acrylic acid and to plasma energy to yield a plasma-deposited polyacrylic acid coating on the polyolefin substrate; and attaching a biomolecule, such as heparin, to the polyolefin substrate following formation of the plasma-deposited polyacrylic acid coating on the polyolefin substrate.

Abstract: Processes are provided for preparing a substrate coated with a biomolecule, comprising: a) providing a substrate; b) coating the substrate with a polysiloxane, typically by exposing the substrate to a reactive gas containing siloxane functional groups and to plasma energy to yield a plasma-deposited polysiloxane surface on the substrate; c) rendering the polysiloxane surface amino functional; and d) contacting the amino-functional polysiloxane surface with a biomolecule under conditions effective to attach the biomolecule to the substrate. The coated substrate may be a medical device that demonstrates an ability to maintain gas permeability when in contact with blood or blood components, compared to a substantially identical medical device that has not been coated with a biomolecule using this process.

Abstract: Radially expandable stents having hydrogel coating layers thereon, and methods of preparing such stents are disclosed. The methods include coating a wire with a solution that includes a solvent and a water soluble polymer in the solvent, evaporating the solvent to provide a polymeric coating on the wire, and crosslinking the polymeric coating to provide a hydrogel coating layer on the wire. The coated wire can be fabricated into stents, which preferably have substantially uniform coatings with low surface roughness. Preferably the coatings have hydrophilic properties and provide a biocompatible surface. The coatings may also provide for the delivery of biologically active agents into the body.

Abstract: Processes are provided for preparing a substrate coated with a biomolecule, comprising: a) providing a substrate; b) coating the substrate with a polysiloxane, typically by exposing the substrate to a reactive gas containing siloxane functional groups and to plasma energy to yield a plasma-deposited polysiloxane surface on the substrate; c) rendering the polysiloxane surface amino functional; and d) contacting the amino-functional polysiloxane surface with a biomolecule under conditions effective to attach the biomolecule to the substrate. The coated substrate may be a medical device that demonstrates an ability to maintain gas permeability when in contact with blood or blood components, compared to a substantially identical medical device that has not been coated with a biomolecule using this process.

Abstract: A device for treating a heart may comprise a myocardial section configured to be positioned in a heart wall between a coronary vessel and a chamber of the heart and a vessel section configured to be positioned in the coronary vessel. The vessel section may be connected to the myocardial section and be configured to articulate relative to the myocardial section. The myocardial section and the vessel section may form an integral, single piece structure.

Abstract: A coil is screwed into the heart wall HW between the left ventricle and coronary artery, followed by forming of a channel with laser, plasma, electrical, or mechanical device therethrough.

Abstract: Radially expandable stents having hydrogel coating layers thereon, and methods of preparing such stents are disclosed. The methods include coating a wire with a solution that includes a solvent and a water soluble polymer in the solvent, evaporating the solvent to provide a polymeric coating on the wire, and crosslinking the polymeric coating to provide a hydrogel coating layer on the wire. The coated wire can be fabricated into stents, which preferably have substantially uniform coatings with low surface roughness. Preferably the coatings have hydrophilic properties and provide a biocompatible surface. The coatings may also provide for the delivery of biologically active agents into the body.

Abstract: A device for treating a heart includes an implant and a collar. The implant may be configured to be positioned in a heart wall between a coronary vessel and a chamber of the heart. The collar may be configured to be disposed externally on a portion of the implant such that the collar extends from the implant so as to contact the heart wall for anchoring the implant in position in the heart wall.

Abstract: An implantable device for reducing restenosis includes a structure including a polyamino acid component, wherein the polyamino acid component can be in the form of a coating or a film on the structure or it can be an integral part of the structure.

Abstract: A method for inducing vascular remodeling and related methods for treating patients having diseased vasculature. The method of inducing remodeling of the vascular system includes altering the blood flow dynamics in portions of the vascular system via mechanical mechanisms. Remodeling of certain coronary vasculature may be induced by creating a passage in a heart wall between a heart chamber and a blood vessel so as to permit blood flow communication, for example, direct blood flow communication, between the chamber and the vessel. A method of inducing vascular remodeling may include providing a blood flow passage between a heart chamber and the coronary vessel, or other flow dynamics altering structure, such that enlargement of at least a portion of the coronary vessel occurs.

Abstract: Biological tissue adhesives can be in the form of a gel that is applied to biological tissue as a “glue” or supported on a backing or substrate to form an article such as a self-sticking patch or pad. Adhesive articles can include such biological tissue adhesives or be functionalized to directly adhere to biological tissue without the biological adhesive.

Abstract: A method of modifying the surface characteristics of a substrate having a surface with an amide-functional polymer thereon. The method involves contacting the amide-functional polymer with a source of hydroxide ions and a source of hypohalite ions at a temperature of at least about 20° C. for a time effective to convert at least a portion of the amide-functional groups to amine-functional groups to form a substrate surface comprising an amine-functional polymer, wherein the hydroxide ions are present in a molar excess relative to the hypohalite ions and at a concentration of no more than about 0.1 M, based on the total volume of the reaction mixture. A biomolecule is attached to the resultant amine-functional polymer.

Abstract: A method for making a biocompatible medical article, and preferably, a blood compatible medical article, through the use of a copolymer coating. The copolymer coating is synthesized using methacrylate or acrylate monomers with a functional group (primary amino group) for subsequent attachment of heparin. Synthesis of the copolymer coating is carried out using the proper proportion of hydrophobic monomer/hydrophilic monomer/functional monomer in order to optimize the solubility of the copolymer in alcohol, its insolubility in water (before and after heparin coupling), the heparin coupling efficacy and heparin bioactivity. Once the copolymer coating is fashioned, a medical article is coated with it. The coating is thereafter dried and heparin attached. In such a manner the present invention provides for a method for making a biocompatible medical article, and preferably, a blood compatible medical article.

Abstract: A method for making a biocompatible medical article, and preferably, a blood compatible medical article, through the use of a copolymer coating. The copolymer coating is synthesized using methacrylate or acrylate monomers with a functional group (primary amino group) for subsequent attachment of heparin. Synthesis of the copolymer coating is carried out using the proper proportion of hydrophobic monomer/hydrophilic monomer/functional monomer in order to optimize the solubility of the copolymer in alcohol, its insolubility in water (before and after heparin coupling), the heparin coupling efficacy and heparin bioactivity. Once the copolymer coating is fashioned, a medical article is coated with it. The coating is thereafter dried and heparin attached. In such a manner the present invention provides for a method for making a biocompatible medical article, and preferably, a blood compatible medical article.

Abstract: Methods for making bioprosthetic devices made of collagen-based material having collagen amine groups and collagen carboxyl groups are provided. The methods include blocking at least a portion of the collagen amine groups with a blocking agent, activating at least a portion of the collagen carboxyl groups after blocking at least a portion of the collagen amine groups to form activated carboxyl groups, and contacting the activated collagen carboxyl groups with a polyfunctional spacer to crosslink the collagen-based material.

Abstract: A method of modifying the surface characteristics of a substrate, particularly a polymeric material. The method involves grafting ethylenically unsaturated monomers and attaching biomolecules, such as heparin, to the surface of the substrate, such as a polymeric material, in one step using an oxidizing metal, such as ceric ions.

Abstract: Bioprosthetic devices made of collagen-based material having collagen amine groups and collagen carboxyl groups are provided as well as methods for their formation. The methods comprise combining an epoxy functionalized crosslinking agent with the collagen-based material in an aqueous medium at an acidic pH to react a portion of the collagen carboxyl groups with the epoxy functionalized crosslinking agent to form crosslinked collagen-based material comprising residual collagen carboxyl groups.

Abstract: A method for making a medical device having a biomolecule immobilized on a substrate surface is provided. The method includes coating the substrate surface with an amino-functional polysiloxane; and contacting the amino-functional polysiloxane coated surface with a biomolecule under conditions effective to immobilize the biomolecule.

Abstract: A method of treating a patient with a medical device having immobilized heparin on a blood-contacting surface in which the covalently attached heparinized surface is provided with an adsorbed protein which may be activated by the immobilized heparin to block the coagulation of fibrinogen. Antithrombin III is the preferred adsorbed protein. The adsorbed protein is maintained on the immobilized heparin surface until the medical device is placed into contact with the patient's blood. When in contact with the patient's blood, the adsorbed protein will prevent initial thrombin formation at the biomaterial-blood interface. The preadsorption of ATIII is accomplished under conditions advantageous to maximum heparin/ATIII binding. When the preadsorbed surface comes in contact with whole blood, the maximum advantage of prophlactic properties of ATIII/heparin are obtained.