Abstract: Process for the preparation of collagen products for medical and cosmetic purposes, wherein collagen products prepared according to the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,083 are subjected to an additional heat treatment or a treatment with gaseous hydrogen halide in order to improve the physicochemical and mechanical properties of the collagen product, in particular its absorption and mechanical strength.

Abstract: A composite material of de-N-acetylated chitin and fibrous collagen, which may be prepared by bringing the de-N-acetylated chitin and the fibrous collagen into mutual contact in an aqueous acidic medium followed by deacidifying the obtained product, the fibrous collagen being able to be partially replaced by gelatin and/or soluble collagen, and a shaped material derived from the composite material is excellent in mechanical strength, heat-resistance and biostability and advantageously employed in the field of medical materials, edibles such as edible casing and base materials for inmobilizing enzyme.

Abstract: In a process for the manufacture of sclero protein transplants in which raw sclero protein from humans or animals is watered, treated with H.sub.2 O.sub.2, degreased, rinsed, dried and sterilized, the improvement in which the sclero protein, after rinsing and prior to drying, is treated with glycerin or polyethylene glycol.

Abstract: A spherically shaped material at least the surface layer of which comprises an acylated product of de-N-acetylated chitin. The spherical material is insoluble in water, acids, alkaline solutions and organic solvents. The materials can be employed to separate materials on a column, as a base material on which enzyme is immobilized and as an adsorbent, etc.

Abstract: This invention relates to crosslinked collagen and glycosaminoglycan materials, and to procedures for preparing such materials. It has been discovered that if collagen fibrils in an aqueous acidic solution are contacted with a crosslinking agent before being contacted with glycosaminoglycan, the materials produced have extremely low levels of thrombogenicity. Such materials are well suited for in-dwelling catheters, blood vessel grafts, and other devices that are in continuous contact with blood for long periods of time.

Abstract: A novel collagen condom consists of isotropically-strong, crosslinked, regenerated fiber collagen. A method of preparation involves the steps of at least twice dipping a mandrel into an acidic collagen dispersion; slowly removing the mandrel under spinning conditions; neutralizing and drying the membrane between dippings; crosslinking the finally dried membrane while on the mandrel and removing the membrane from the mandrel.

Abstract: Biological collagenous material is preserved by dehydrating utilizing an organic water-miscible solvent.

Abstract: A method for altering the radius of curvature of the cornea together with an apparatus for use therein is provided. Apparatus (10) includes a circular ring (12) which can be placed over the eye for concentrically surrounding the cornea. Blade (14) which forms a part of apparatus (10) is mounted for retractable movement to and away from the cornea. Blade (14) is also able to rotate through a limited arc so that a sector-shaped incision (46) can be made in the cornea. Collagen or any other suitable material (50) is injected into sector-shaped incision (46) to alter the radius of curvature of the cornea.

Abstract: Skin or wound dressings are prepared in gel or sheet form from enzyme-solubilized collagen and/or such chemically modified collagen. Improved sheet form dressing is prepared by tubular extrusion of such collagen gels.

Abstract: Macromolecular reconstituted collagen is prepared by treating natural insoluble collagen with an aqueous solution comprised of an alkali sulfate salt and an alkali metal hydroxide for at least 48 hours to saponify fats suspended within the natural insoluble collagen. The fat free collagen is then treated with an aqueous solution comprised of an alkali metal sulfate for at least four hours to stabilize the interfibular bonds between individual polypeptide chains. The collagen is then dissolved in an aqueous acid solution and frozen at a rate of -20.degree. C./hour. The frozen collagen is vacuum dried at 10.sup.-3 to 10.sup.-5 torr for at least 16 hours to produce a biologically active collagen article. Various biologically active materials may be added to the aqueous acid solution prior to freezing. The collagen product may then be implanted into an animal or the like and the medication slowly released.

Abstract: A contraceptive device and method of contraception as well as a method of making the contraceptive device are described. Native collagen form of fibrillar protein is comminuted and homogenized in an acid environment; noncollagenous material is removed and residual collagen is mixed with water the pH of the resulting slurry is adjusted to 4.5 to 5.0 by the addition of acetic acid; gluteraldehyde is then added and the slurry poured into molds and frozen at approximately -10.degree. centigrade for approximately 20 hours. The frozen mass is then thawed, washed, and immersed in a wash of pH 8 to 9 for approximately 2 hours at 20.degree. centigrade. Sufficient reducing agent is added to the wash to create excess reducing equivalents. The sponge is then immersed in a buffer solution of pH 4 to 5 for a time sufficient to equilibrate to uniform pH. The sponge formed by the above method is then moistened and self-administered in the upper vault of the vagina proximal to the cervix.

Abstract: Chemically-modified quaternary-structured fiber collagens of minimum molecular length, diameter and periodicity, and containing a relatively high positive electrostatic charge are claimed as hemostatic agents. Specific examples are guanidinated, esterified, and guanidinated-esterified collagen fibers of the type described.

Abstract: An improved hemostatic agent is made by treating collagen or collagen-like substance to render the surface charge thereof effectively more positive. The thusly modified substance is employed to control or terminate bleeding.

Abstract: Collagen, available from domestic animals, is freed of noncollagen proteins, glycosaminoglycans and lipids by enzymatic treatment with a proteolytic enzyme to yield a product which is soluble in dilute acidic aqueous solutions (collagen in solution--CIS). The naturally occurring collagen is modified by removal of certain terminal peptide chains, which are described as telopeptides. The modified collagen, so derived, is described as atelopeptide collagen. Native collagen is immunogenic, while atelopeptide collagen is nonimmunogenic or possessed of a negligibly low level of immunogenicity.The collagen in solution is then treated according to a specific regimen under conditions whereby the collagen slowly separates from solution while exposed to mild shear forces. This procedure results in the formation of a fibrous precipitate composed of regularly ordered fibers of collagen possessed of a ropelike structure. These resulting aggregates are referred to as native fibrous micropolymers (NFM).

Abstract: Soft contact lenses are made from solubilized, defatted, transparent, cross-linked collagen, and/or chemically-modified collagen.

Abstract: Polymers of quaternary-structured collagen of minimum length, diameter and periodicity, and containing a relatively high positive electrostatic charge are claimed as hemostatic agents. Specific examples are guanidnated polymers of the type described, esterified polymers, and esterified-guanidinated polymers.

Abstract: In the treatment of skin wherein an aqueous paste is applied to the skin, left in contact therewith for a period of time and thereafter removed, the improvement which comprises placing over the paste a foil containing at least about 3 percent of water soluble collagen by weight and having a water permeability of more than about 0.1 gram/dm.sup.2 /minute, whereby collagen is transported through the paste and is absorbed by the skin. Desirably the foil is about 0.01 to 0.03 mm thick and is cross-linked to an extent corresponding to that produced by about 0.1-0.5 percent by weight of glutardialdehyde applied in an acid medium. It may further contain a cosmetically active agent such as an amino acid, peptide, protein, hormone, placenta-extract, phosphatide, tissue-extract, fresh cells and vitamins. The paste may be dried by heating, producing shrinkage of the foil to increase contact with the skin.

Abstract: Method of treating a wound or burn which comprises directly dressing its surface with non-woven fabric comprising staple fibers of spun, regenerated collagen substantially free of telopeptides is disclosed.

Abstract: A sterile surgical collagen product which has a felt or fleece-like structure and which exerts a haemostatic action, has a high absorption capacity for body fluids, promotes the regeneration of tissues, is highly resorptive, has substantially no antigenic activity and has optimum mechanical properties so as to make it suitable for being applied to or introduced into wounds or into bone cavities.

Abstract: A multilayer membrane, which is useful as synthetic skin, is disclosed herein. A first layer is formed from a material which does not provoke an immune response and which is also insoluble and nondegradable in the presence of body fluids and/or body enzymes. Preferred materials for the first layer are crosslinked composites of collagen and a mucopolysaccharide. A second layer is formed from a nontoxic material which controls the moisture flux of the overall membrane to about 0.1 to 1 mg./cm.sup.2 /hr. Suitable materials for the second layer include synthetic polymers such as silicone resins, polyacrylate or polymethacrylate esters or their copolymers, and polyurethanes.

Abstract: Skin-like collagen membranes are adapted for protecting a wound, lesion or the like on animal bodies. These collagen membranes are semipermeable and are electrochemically-linked to the damaged collagen fibrils of the animal body. This electrochemical biological junction is established iontophoretically from an electric potential derived from the body's own inherent electrical characteristics or a galvanic couple.

Abstract: Non-woven, liquid-laid, fibrous web having hemostatic and adhesive properties adapted to seal a wound formed of fibers consisting of an ionizable, water-insoluble, partial salt of collagen, the web when placed on a saline solution disintegrating completely and the fibers self disperse. The web is formed from a slurry of the fibers in a water-miscible organic liquid such as ethanol containing a small proportion of an ionizable acid.

Abstract: Medical articles composed of silicone rubber coated with collagen to be used in living body, are manufactured by subjecting a surface of shaped articles composed of silicone rubber to a spark discharge, coating the thus treated surface with an acidic aqueous solution of collagen and then drying said surface to form collagen layer and irradiating the shaped article coated with collagen with high energy ionizing radiation under an atmosphere having such a humidity that the water content of the coated collagen becomes more than 20% by weight.