Abstract: A graft prostheses (11), materials and method for implanting, transplanting, replacing, or repairing a part of a patient. The graft prosthesis includes a purified, collagen-based matrix structure removed from a submucosa tissue source. The submucosa tissue source is purified by disinfection and removal steps to deactivate and remove contaminants, thereby making the purified structure biocompatible and suitable for grafting on and/or in a patient.

Abstract: Commercially pure titanium having UFG structure and enhanced mechanical and biomedical characteristics has nanocrystalline alpha-phase grains with a hexagonal close-packed lattice, in which the share of grains with a size of 0.1 . . . 0.5 ?m and a grain shape coefficient of no more than 2 in the mutually perpendicular planes makes no less than 90%, over 60% of the grains having high-angle boundaries disoriented in relation to the adjacent grains by the angles from 15 to 90°. The method for making a rod of the material provides for equal-channel angular pressing of a billet at T?450° C. with the total accumulated true strain e?4 to effect severe plastic deformation of the billet and subsequent thermomechanical treatment with a gradual decrease of the temperature in the range of 450 . . . 350° C. and the strain rate of 10?2 . . . 10?4 s?1 with the strain degree from 40 to 80% to effect additional plastic deformation.

Abstract: A graft prostheses (11), materials and method for implanting, transplanting, replacing, or repairing a part of a patient. The graft prosthesis includes a purified, collagen-based matrix structure removed from a submucosa tissue source. The submucosa tissue source is purified by disinfection and removal steps to deactivate and remove contaminants, thereby making the purified structure biocompatible and suitable for grafting on and/or in a patient.

Abstract: An engineered three-dimensional structure includes living cells cohered with each other. The living cells suitably include Schwann cells and at least one other type of cell. The cells accompanying the Schwann cells can suitably be bone marrow stem cells or another type of cell having one or more anti-inflammatory properties. The structure is suitably a graft that facilitates restorative axon growth when the graft is implanted between the proximal and distal stubs of a severed nerve in a living organism. The graft can optionally include a plurality of acellular conduits extending between opposite axial ends of the graft. Bio-printing techniques can be used to assemble a three-dimensional construct that becomes through maturation an axon-guiding graft, by stacking a plurality of multicellular bodies, each of which includes a plurality of living cells cohered to one another to sufficiently to avoid collapsing when the multicellular bodies are stacked to form the structure.

Abstract: A bone fusion implant for repair or replacement of bone includes a hollow body formed from at least two bone fragments which are configured and dimensioned for mutual engagement and which are coupled together. The hollow body may be formed of autograft, allograft, or xenograft bone tissue, and may include a core formed of at least one of bone material and bone inducing substances, with the core being disposed in the hollow body.

Abstract: The present invention is a synthetic, biocompatible, bioabsorbable, porous foam tissue scaffolds possessing physicochemical properties suitable for use in the repair and regeneration of dermal tissue and to methods of preparing the foam scaffold.

Abstract: Biomaterial including tissues basically obtained from an animal cornea, in particular, from a fish cornea. A cardiac valve (10) which may envisage at least one cusp (15) made with an organic tissue obtained from this particular biomaterial.

Abstract: The invention involves a submucosa tissue that has the capability of being shape formed or shape configured. The submucosa involves a purified form of submucosa tissue. Optionally, the submucosa can be packaged in such a manner to permit sterility or maintain sterility of the submucosa.

Abstract: A cortical bone implant is formed of two or more planks of bone which are connected with one or more offset pins. The pins may be right circular cylinders inserted into a corresponding offset bore which offset bends the inserted pin. The bending creates compression and tensile loads in the pin which loads creates friction compression forces on the planks connecting them to the pins by friction. The pins may have different shapes to form the offsets and different configurations for friction attachment to the planks. The implants may be formed of flat or L-shaped planks or bones formed into other shapes including interlocking arrangements. Processes and fixtures are disclosed for forming the pins, planks and implants. Various embodiments of the pins, planks, implants and processes are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides composition and methods for repairing a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

Abstract: Use of one or more saccharides, for example one or more non-toxic mono-, di-, tri-, oligo- or polysaccharides, in the manufacture of a biocompatible glue for adhering a first structure to a surface of a second structure. The biocompatible glue can be adapted to act as a temporary glue. In this case the glue may be used to enable a medical structure to be transferred from a medical instrument onto the surface of a structure of a human or animal body, for example as in the transfer of a buffer material from the fork of a surgical stapler to a diseased lung after one or more rows of staples have been fired through the buffer material into the lung during lung volume reduction surgery for treating emphysema. The biocompatible glue can also to advantage be used to adhere or secure medical structures to a structure of a human or animal body direct, such as in the case of a patch being applied to the skin of a mammal.

Abstract: Open chambered spacers, implanting tools and methods are provided. The spacers 500′ include a body 505′ having a wall 506′ which defines a chamber 530′ and an opening 531′ in communication with the chamber 530′. In one embodiment the wall 506′ includes a pair of arms 520′, 521′ facing one another and forming a mouth 525′ to the chamber 530′. Preferably, one of the arms 520′ is truncated relative to the other, forming a channel 526. In one aspect the body 505′ is a bone dowel comprising an off-center plug from the diaphysis of a long bone. The tools 800 include spacer engaging means for engaging a spacer and occlusion means for blocking an opening defined in the spacer. In some embodiments, the occlusion means 820 includes a plate 821 extendable from the housing 805.

Abstract: The invention provides a means of boosting the mechanical performance of shaped shaped medical devices comprising polymer hydrogels, such as stents, so that they may be more easily inserted into or removed from the body. In one aspect, the invention provides shaped medical devices having increased mechanical strength and comprising both ionic and covalent crosslinks. In another aspect, the invention provides a shaped medical device having a heterogeneous polymer composition and a variable dissolution or degradation rate along its length. The shaped medical devices according to the present invention retain their shape and stiffness during insertion into the body and can swell and soften inside the body to enhance patient comfort.

Abstract: A bioprosthetic device is provided for soft tissue attachment, reinforcement, and or reconstruction. The device comprises a naturally occurring extracellular matrix portion and a synthetic portion. In illustrated embodiments, the naturally occurring extracellular matrix portion comprises layers of small intestine submucosa, and the synthetic portion comprises one or more rows of fibers or mesh positioned between layers of the small intestine submucosa.

Abstract: The invention involves a bioprosthetic article including a biocompatible material having at least one bound exogenous storage structure, the storage structures having collectively greater than about 0.5 mg metal cations per gram of biocompatible material. The calcification inhibitors preferably decrease calcium deposition by greater than 95% relative to untreated tissue. The calcification inhibitors are bonded to the bioprosthetic material preferably at a pH between about 6.0 and 8.5.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a collagen material comprising a laminate in which a collagen ultra-fine fibrous non-woven fabric-like multi-layer structure is sandwiched between non-fibrous collagen layers, a thread-like material containing said collagen material, their production processes, and a medical material containing said collagen material, and particularly a medical alternative membrane comprised of said medical material.

Abstract: An allogenic intervertebral implant for fusing vertebrae is disclosed. The implant is a piece of allogenic bone conforming in size and shape with a portion of an end plate of a vertebra. The implant has a wedge-shaped profile to restore disc height and the natural curvature of the spine. The top and bottom surfaces of the implant have a plurality of teeth to resist expulsion and provide initial stability. The implant according to the present invention provides initial stability need for fusion without stress shielding.

Abstract: A graft prostheses (11), materials and method for implanting, transplanting, replacing, or repairing a part of a patient. The graft prosthesis includes a purified, collagen-based matrix structure removed from a submucosa tissue source. The submucosa tissue source is purified by disinfection and removal steps to deactivate and remove contaminants, thereby making the purified structure biocompatible and suitable for grafting on and/or in a patient.

Abstract: A method for preparing vascular valves from submucosal tissue is described. Both bicuspid and tricuspid valve constructs are described. The bicuspid constructs can be formed with or without a supporting stent. The tricuspid constructs are formed by fixing submucosal tissue to a supporting stent, folding the submucosal tissue, and forming the valve commissures from the folded submucosal tissue by cutting along the folds. The artificial vascular valves are useful for replacing damaged or diseased valves of a warm-blooded vertebrate.

Abstract: An allogenic intervertebral implant for fusing vertebrae is disclosed. The implant is a piece of allogenic bone conforming in size and shape with a portion of an end plate of a vertebra. The implant has a wedge-shaped profile to restore disc height and the natural curvature of the spine. The top and bottom surfaces of the implant have a plurality of teeth to resist expulsion and provide initial stability. The implant according to the present invention provides initial stability need for fusion without stress shielding.