COMPRESSION AND KINK RESISTANT IMPLANTS
A compression and kink resistant tubular implant for nerve repair. The implant includes a tubular biopolymeric membrane and a polymeric supporting filament. Also provided is a shaped compression resistant implant for ridge augmentation in dental surgery. Methods for producing the implants are also provided.
1 . A compression and kink resistant implant for nerve repair, comprising a tubular biopolymeric membrane and a polymeric filament, the tubular biopolymeric membrane having an outer surface and being biocompatible, resorbable, and semipermeable, the polymeric filament being helical and located on the outer surface of the tubular biopolymeric membrane, wherein the implant has a compression resistance of 1 N to 10 N and a kink resistance angle of 40 degrees to 150 degrees.
2 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the tubular biopolymeric membrane includes collagen.
3 . The implant of claim 2 , wherein the polymeric filament is a synthetic polymer.
4 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the implant has an internal diameter of 1.0 mm to 10 mm.
5 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the implant has a length of 0.5 cm to 15 cm.
6 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the tubular biopolymeric membrane has a thickness of 0.1 mm to 1 mm.
7 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric filament has a helical pitch of 1 mm to 2 mm.
8 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric filament is present in a crisscross arrangement.
9 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the tubular biopolymeric membrane is permeable to molecules having a molecular weight≦500,000 daltons.
10 . The implant of claim 9 , wherein the molecular weight is ≦100,000 daltons.
11 . A shaped compression resistant implant for ridge augmentation in dental surgery, comprising an arcuate biopolymeric membrane and a polymeric filament, the arcuate biopolymeric membrane having an outer surface and being biocompatible, resorbable, and semipermeable, and the polymeric filament being located on the outer surface of the arcuate biopolymeric membrane, wherein the implant has a compression resistance of 1 N to 10 N.
12 . The implant of claim 11 , wherein the arcuate biopolymeric membrane includes collagen.
13 . The implant of claim 12 , wherein the polymeric filament is a synthetic polymer.
14 . A shaped compression resistant implant for ridge augmentation in dental surgery, comprising an arcuate biopolymeric membrane and a polymeric filament, the arcuate biopolymeric membrane having two layers and being biocompatible, resorbable, and semipermeable, and the polymeric filament being incorporated between the two layers of the arcuate biopolymeric membrane, wherein the implant has a compression resistance of 1 N to 10 N.
15 . The implant of claim 14 , wherein the arcuate biopolymeric membrane includes collagen.
16 . The implant of claim 15 , wherein the polymeric filament is a synthetic polymer.
17 . A method for preparing a compression and kink resistant tubular implant, comprising dispersing purified collagen fibers, coacervating the dispersed purified collagen fibers to form reconstituted collagen fibers, winding the reconstituted collagen fibers onto a rotating mandrel to form a collagen tube, winding a synthetic polymer filament onto the surface of the collagen tube, partially dehydrating the collagen tube, freeze drying the partially dehydrated collagen tube, and crosslinking the freeze-dried partially dehydrated collagen tube to form a compression and kink resistant tubular implant.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the synthetic polymer filament is wound in a criss-cross pattern.
19 . A method for preparing a compression resistant implant, comprising dispersing purified collagen fibers, coacervating the dispersed purified collagen fibers to form reconstituted collagen fibers, winding a first portion of the reconstituted collagen fibers onto a rotating mandrel to form a collagen tube, winding a synthetic polymer filament onto the surface of the collagen tube, winding a second portion of the reconstituted collagen fibers onto the surface of the collagen tube to form a collagen layer encasing the synthetic polymer filament and the collagen tube, partially dehydrating the encased collagen tube, freeze drying the partially dehydrated encased collagen tube, cutting the freeze-dried encased collagen tube along a longitudinal axis to form a sheet, humidifying the sheet, molding it into an arcuate shape, and crosslinking the molded sheet to form a compression resistant implant.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the synthetic polymer filament is wound in a criss-cross pattern.