Abstract: Novel adhesive compositions are described that include an epoxyamine and, preferably, a curing agent. The adhesive composition can be used in surgical settings such as implanting bioprostheses and/or in manufacturing of bioprostheses. Biocompatible substrates can be adhered together by an adhesive bond formed by curing of the epoxyamine adhesive composition.

Abstract: Medical devices are described that have a releasable quantity of a stimulation compound that stimulates production of VEGF. The stimulation compound can be a polypeptide, such as hypoxia-inducible factor 1. Suitable stimulation compounds stimulate transcription of VEGF. Medical devices of particular interest include, for example, heart valve prostheses, vascular prostheses and vascular stents.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for differentially treating a medical device. One portion of the device is treated with a first fluid and a separate portion is treated with a second fluid. The second fluid generally is substantially different from the first fluid. The first fluid can be contacted with an flow region of the medical device. The apparatus can include a conduit system, where fluid flowing through the conduit system flows through the flow region. Sheet material can be treated differentially on the opposite surfaces of the sheet. The medical device can include vascular tissue.

Abstract: Medical devices include biocomatible materials and a plurality of exogenous storage structures. The exogenous storage structures store a therapeutic agent which acts to inhibit restenosis. In some embodiments, the therapeutic agents are radioactive metal ions. In other embodiments, the medical device has an expandable structure with particles of therapeutic agent on its surface. The particles of therapeutic agent are delivered into a region susceptible to restenosis by direct application of the medical device against the adjacent wall.

Abstract: An adhesive delivery system described herein includes a reservoir of flowable adhesive and a delivery conduit with one or more apertures following a pattern. The one or more apertures of the delivery conduit preferably follow a curve. A prosthesis can be formed including an attachment surface and an adhesive delivery conduit associated with the attachment surface. The adhesive delivery conduit has at least one aperture and a central lumen connected to the aperture. The adhesive delivery systems are useful for the formation of medical devices, the implantation of medical devices and for wound healing.

Abstract: Novel adhesive compositions are described that include an epoxyamine and, preferably, a curing agent. The adhesive composition can be used in surgical settings such as implanting bioprostheses and/or in manufacturing of bioprostheses. Biocompatible substrates can be adhered together by an adhesive bond formed by curing of the epoxyamine adhesive composition.

Abstract: Novel adhesive compositions are described that include an epoxyamine and, preferably, a curing agent. The adhesive composition can be used in surgical settings such as implanting bioprostheses and/or in manufacturing of bioprostheses. Biocompatible substrates can be adhered together by an adhesive bond formed by curing of the epoxyamine adhesive composition.

Abstract: Medical devices are formed from metal/polymer composites that have improved characteristics. The metal/polymer composites have a relatively thick metal coating with an average metal thickness of greater than about 3 microns. The composite has mechanical properties, such as mechanical strength, durability and resiliency, contributed by the metal coating. The metal/polymer composites can be formed by solution based or vapor based approaches.

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: An apparatus is disclosed for differentially treating a medical device. One portion of the device is treated with a first fluid and a separate portion is treated with a second fluid. The second fluid generally is substantially different from the first fluid. The first fluid can be contacted with an flow region of the medical device. The apparatus can include a conduit system, where fluid flowing through the conduit system flows through the flow region. Sheet material can be treated differentially on the opposite surfaces of the sheet. The medical device can include vascular tissue.

Abstract: A variety of new ways can be used for associating antimicrobial elemental metal with a medical article. The associated antimicrobial metal reduces the risk of infection associated with the medical use of the medical article. New medical articles are produced by some of these new approaches. Some of the methods involve ways of adjusting the dissociation rate of associated elemental metal such that desired degrees of antimicrobial activity can be achieved over selected periods of time.

Abstract: Medical articles can include biocompatible material with a deposit of anticalcific elemental metal. The biocompatible material can be tissue, fabric or the like. The biocompatible material can be configured on the medical article such that when the medical article is positioned for its intended use, the biocompatible material is substantially removed from blood flow or is in a low blood flow area effectively removed from vascular blood flow. Gas phase or solution phase methods can be used to deposit the anticalcific elemental metal.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for differentially treating a medical device. One portion of the device is treated with a first fluid and a separate portion is treated with a second fluid. The second fluid generally is substantially different from the first fluid. The first fluid can be contacted with an flow region of the medical device. The apparatus can include a conduit system, where fluid flowing through the conduit system flows through the flow region. Sheet material can be treated differentially on the opposite surfaces of the sheet. The medical device can include vascular tissue.

Abstract: In general, the invention features a bioprosthetic article including a biocompatible material having at least one bound exogenous storage structure, the storage structure having a quantity of calcification inhibitors releasably bound thereto. The storage structure can be a protein or a synthetic polymer. The calcification inhibitors include metal ions and phosphatase inhibitors generally. Bifunctional metal chelators can be bound to endogenous proteins to deliver metal ions.

Abstract: A variety of new ways can be used for associating antimicrobial elemental metal with a medical article. The associated antimicrobial metal reduces the risk of infection associated with the medical use of the medical article. New medical articles are produced by some of these new approaches. Some of the methods involve ways of adjusting the dissociation rate of associated elemental metal such that desired degrees of antimicrobial activity can be achieved over selected periods of time.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for differentially treating a medical device. One portion of the device is treated with a first fluid and a separate portion is treated with a second fluid. The second fluid generally is substantially different from the first fluid. The first fluid can be contacted with an flow region of the medical device. The apparatus can include a conduit system, where fluid flowing through the conduit system flows through the flow region. Sheet material can be treated differentially on the opposite surfaces of the sheet. The medical device can include vascular tissue.

Abstract: Approaches are described for depositing antimicrobial elemental metal and/or metal compounds within a medical article. The medical article generally includes biocompatible material that can contact bodily fluids. In particular, antimicrobial elemental metal can be deposited on and in a biocompatible material such as tissue. Chemical, photochemical and electrochemical processes for depositing elemental metal are described. In addition, an antimicrobial metal compound can be deposited by precipitation of the compound from a solution of metal cation. Antimicrobial metal deposits may reduce the incidence of infection associated with contacting a recipient medical patient with the biocompatible material.

Abstract: Biocompatible articles for placement in a patient are described having releasably adhered antimicrobial metal ions. Furthermore, biocompatible articles made from biocompatible material for subcutaneous, percutaneous and cutaneous use are described where the biocompatible material has an attached exogenous storage structure with reversibly bound antimicrobial metal ions. The exogenous storage structures can include proteins such as ferritin, globulins, albumin, glutathione, transferrin, hemoglobin, metallothiens, myoglobin, ceruloplasmin and hemocyanin. Associated methods for imparting antimicrobial properties to biocompatible articles are described.

Abstract: Crosslinking to prepare fixed tissue or to crosslink modification molecules to tissue is carried out with an apparatus and method wherein diffusion through a semipermeable is used to provide a selected molecular weight distribution of oligomers of a crosslinking compound that polymerizes spontaneously in solution to produce oligomers such as glutaraldehyde. The membrane has a molecular weight exclusion limit that prevents oligomers above a certain molecular weight from passing. Tissues treated with the size selected oligomers have improved properties. In the apparatus, the membrane separates a solution containing the crosslinking compound and oligomers from a solution in which crosslinking is carried out. The selected molecular weight distribution of oligomers diffuses through the membrane into the solution where tissue is crosslinked or a beneficial molecule is crosslinked to tissue.