Abstract: Compounds having thrombin inhibiting activity of the general formula I or II where n is 0.5, 1, 2 and HX is  and HX is optionally substituted once or twice by methyl, ethyl or hydroxyl, and the tautomers and stereoisomers thereof, which compounds have greater thermal stability betaines, and salts of mineral acids or C1-C4-carboxylic acids.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic heart valve xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides methods for preparing a heart valve xenograft by removing at least a portion of a soft tissue from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to cellular disruption treatment; treating the xenograft with crosslinking agents, and digesting the xenograft with a proteoglycan-depleting factor and/or glycosidase. The invention also provides an article of manufacture produced by the above-identified method of the invention. The invention further provides a heart valve xenograft for implantation into a human including a portion of a heart valve from a non-human animal, wherein the portion has extracellular components and substantially only dead cells. The extracellular components have reduced proteoglycan molecules.

Abstract: The present invention relates to medical techniques and can be used in heart surgery for the replacement of the damaged natural aortal and mitral human heart valves and also tricuspid and lung artery valves.

Abstract: A new and unique, optimized, two-dimensional heart valve tissue pattern, valve, and a method of reconstructing a three-dimensional semilunar heart valve, or portion thereof. In one preferred embodiment, the two-dimensional valve tissue pattern, and method of the present invention, comprises a two-dimensional configuration developed and optimized by employing, in part, the anatomy of a three-dimensional human heart valve, and said two-dimensional configuration delimits a two dimensional area that corresponds to the shape of tissue to be used in the repair of at least one leaflet of a circulatory system semilunar valve, wherein the configuration delimits at least one segment, and up to all three segments, of a three segment “trefoil” shape.

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: Biocompatible prostheses, specifically, biocompatible heart valves, are described having incorporated therein an effective amount of coating applied thereto to render the valve resistant to in vivo pathologic thrombus formation and in vivo pathologic mineralization.

Abstract: The invention describes the possibility of the biofunctionalization of biomaterials, in particular implants, by their made-to-measure coating with synthesized cell- or tissue-selective RGD peptides which in vitro stimulate the adhesion of mainly those cell species which in each case are intended to accomplish the tissue integration of the appropriate biomaterial.

Abstract: A method for the rapid chemical treatment of autologous connective tissues which enhances biocompatibility by reducing cytotoxicity, immunogenicity and calcification without impairing the mechanical properties of the fixed tissue. The procedure includes a short exposure of the autologous biological tissue to a dialdehyde fixative followed by the rapid neutralization of excess aldehyde with an aminoacid solution.

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.