Anti-Adhesive Barrier Membrane Using Alginate and Hyaluronic Acid for Biomedical Applications
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsSarah Mayes, Christine E. Schmidt
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Abstract
A non-synthetic, hydrophilic, biodegradable, biocompatible polysaccharide based non-toxic anti-adhesion hydrogel barrier is disclosed herein. The barrier of the present invention is formed by constructing a unique interpenetrating, crosslinked network with a unique porosity. Furthermore, the barrier of the present invention is comprised of tunable biopolymers for controllable mechanical robustness and degradation. The barrier of the present invention effectively reduces unwanted adhesions using non-synthetic components.
Claims1
A method of making a porous anti-adhesion hydrogel comprising the steps of:
- preparing an aqueous mixture of one or more uncrosslinked polymers and a crystallizable molecule;
- casting the aqueous mixture onto a vessel, a slide, a plate, tissue-culture dish or combinations and modifications thereof to form a cast mixture;
- drying the cast mixture to form an amorphous hydrogel film;
- seeding the cast mixture with a seed crystal of the crystallizable molecule;
- growing the crystallizable molecule into a crystal structure within the uncrosslinked polymer;
- exposing the cast mixture to ultraviolet light, wherein the exposure results in a gelling or a crosslinking of the polymer;
- crosslinking the uncrosslinked polymer around the crystal structure by an addition of one or more crosslinking agents under conditions in which the crystal structure within the crosslinked polymer is maintained;
- removing the one or more crystals of the crystallizable polymers by rinsing with water to form the porous hydrogel;
- and
- removing water from the porous hydrogel by controlled dessication under pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.