Methods and compositions for reducing or eliminating post-surgical adhesion formation
The present invention relates to a method for reducing adhesions associated with post-operative surgery. The present method comprises administering or affixing a polymeric composition preferably comprising chain extended, coupled or crosslinked polyester/poly(oxyalkylene) ABA triblocks or AB diblocks having favorable EO/LA ratios to a site in the body which has been subjected to trauma, e.g. by surgery, excision or inflammatory disease. In the present invention, the polymeric material provides a barrier to prevent or reduce the extent of adhesions forming.
1. A composition for use in reducing adhesions in a patient according to the structure:
where m and k are positive integers,
j is 0 to 4;
R 1 is H or CH 3 ;
R is ethylene, propylene or mixtures thereof;
R′ is a C 2 to C 12 alkylene group, a cycloalkyl or cycloalkyl-containing group, an aryl or aryl-containing group, 4,4′-diphenylmethane, toluene, naphthalene, 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane, cyclohexyl, 3,3′-dimethylphenyl, 3,3′-dimethyl-diphenylmethane, 4,6′-xylylene, 3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexyl, 2,2,4-trimethylhexamethylene, p-phenylene or a poly(ethylene oxide) containing or poly(ethylene oxide) rich chain;
and K is a group derived from a compound which is unable to initiate ring opening polymerization of a starting lactone.
2. The composition according to claim 1 wherein K is a C 1 to C 12 alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group or a substituted C 1 to C 12 alkyl group, a substituted aryl group, a substituted aralkyl group, a C═C— containing group.
3. The composition according to claim 1 where K is methyl or ethyl.
4. The composition according to claim 1 wherein j is 0.
5. The composition according to claim 1 wherein R 1 is CH 3 .
6. The composition according to claim 1 wherein R is exclusively ethylene.
7. The composition according to claim 1 wherein R′ is a poly(ethylene oxide) rich chain.
8. The composition according to claim 1 wherein R′ is a 2,2,4-trimethylhexamethylene group.