Abstract: A therapeutic composition having wet adherent properties and particularly useful for delivery of medicaments to mucosal surfaces comprises a therapeutically effective amount of a medicament dispersed in a base material comprising from about 3 to 15% by weight of a water soluble salt of a copolymer of methyl vinyl ether and maleic acid or anhydride and from about 85 to 97% by weight of polyethylene glycol. Formulations of the base material with triamcinolone acetonide and lidocaine are particularly efficacious in the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulcers.

Abstract: A method for preparing an aortic heart valve for implantation wherein the area of the septal shelf of the right coronary cusp extending into the valve orifice is substantially reduced. The excised value is prepared for fixation by pressurizing the valve to close the valve cusps, and thereafter inverting the aortic vestibule tissue over a valve stent or other cylindrical form circumscribing the valve. As the vestibule tissue is inverted, the septal shelf muscle is pulled toward the outside wall of the valve. When the septal shelf has been displaced to the maximum extent possible while maintaining coaption of the valve leaflets, the valve is fixed with a tanning solution. The resulting valve, after being trimmed and mounted for implantation, has improved flow characteristics.

Abstract: A method is provided for anchoring a suture to a needle in which a suture tip is inserted into a recess in the blunt end of a needle and the needle is thereafter heated to expand the suture tip within the recess into tight engagement with the recess walls. Sutures of synthetic polymers attached in this manner are removable from the needle by application of a straight pulling force of less than about 30 ounces.

Abstract: A needle-suture combination is provided which has a suture pull-out value between 3 ounces and 26 ounces. The suture, one end of which is sized with a resin and smaller in diameter than the rest of the suture, is manufactured by placing the suture under tension, immersing a small section of the suture in a liquid resin solution, and drying to remove the solvent. The tension is then relaxed and the sized end of the suture inserted into a needle which is swaged to predetermined dimensions.

Abstract: A laminated molded sterilizable package for sutures is constructed of a first molded sheet and a second cover sheet. The molded sheet has a centrally located needle chamber recess and a long, narrow suture channel extending outward of and in a generally spiral path around the needle chamber. In a preferred embodiment, the suture channel is characterized by having at least one curve in a reverse direction from the general direction of the spiral. The package is opened by peeling a portion of the cover sheet from the molded sheet to uncover the needle chamber and an adjacent length of the suture channel. The package is suitable for use with heavy denier monofilament sutures which may be withdrawn from the package singly or in groups. Sutures delivered from the package are characterized by having only gentle bends with no loops or coils and are suitable for use with little or no further straightening.

Abstract: A needle-suture combination is provided in which a lubricant layer is provided at the juncture between the needle and the suture and specifically between the inner surfaces of a recess in the blunt end of the needle and the outer surface of one tip of the suture which is inserted into the recess and in tight engagement with at least a portion of the inner surface of the recess. The lubricant lowers the pull-out value of the needle-suture combination.

Abstract: An improved package for sutures in which an inner suture retainer is intimately connected to the sealed outer envelope so that when the outer envelope is opened, the suture end in the inner retainer is exposed for immediate pick-up.