Compositions, methods and devices for forming gel implants from injected liquids
A method of forming a gel implant in tissue can include: providing an injectable composition configured for thermoreversible gel formation at about 37° C.; injecting the injectable composition into the tissue at the rate of about 10-12000 injections per minute; and forming a thermoreversible gel at about 37° C. from the injected injectable composition so as to form the gel implant. The injecting can be at an amount of 1.0E-02 ml to 1.0E-16 ml per needle per injection. The injecting can form an implant with area greater than or equal to 5 mm 2 . The injecting can be at a depth of 10 microns to 5 mm. The injectable composition can include a visualization agent, drug or other agent.
1. A method of forming a gel implant in a tissue, the method comprising:
providing an injectable composition configured for thermoreversible gel formation at about 37° C.;
injecting the injectable composition into the tissue at the rate of about 10-12000 injections per minute; and
forming a thermoreversible gel at about 37° C. from the injected injectable composition so as to form the gel implant.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein injectable composition comprises a biostable or biodegradable polymer dissolved in an aqueous solution.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the biostable or biodegradable polymer shows a thermoreversible property in the aqueous solution and is selected from a group consisting of polymers or copolymers of: pluronics; poly ethyleneoxides; polypropylene oxides; reverse pluronics; polyacrylamides; gelatins; cellulose derivatives; polylactones, polylactic acids; polyglycolic acids; polylactice-co-glycolides; polyhydroxy acids; and combinations thereof.
4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein a concentration of the biostable or biodegradable polymer in the aqueous solution ranges from about 2% to about 45%.
5. The method according to claim 1 , comprising forming a shape of the gel implant to be a straight line, crossed line, rectangular, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, circular disk, circular ring, solid square, or irregular shape.
6. The method according to claim 1 , comprising forming the gel implant to have a size greater than or equal to about 5 mm 2 .
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the injectable composition and formed gel implant include a visualization agent.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the visualization agent is a coloring composition, a fluorescent composition, a radio opaque contrast agent, or an NMR contrast agent.
9. The method of claim 1 , comprising injecting the injectable composition into the tissue at a depth of about 10 microns to about 5 mm.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the injectable composition comprises a drug.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein drug is dissolved, suspended or emulsified in the injectable composition before injecting.
12. The method of claim 2 , wherein drug is present at a concentration from about 1% to about 40% relative to polymer weight in the injectable composition or formed implant.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the drug selected from the agents comprising: antiinfectives; antibiotics; antiviral agents; antifungal agents; antibacterial agents; antipruritics; anticancer agents; antipsychotics; cholesterol- or lipid-reducing agents; cell cycle inhibitors; anticancer agents; antiparkinsonism drugs; HMG-CoA inhibitors; antirestenosis agents; antiinflammatory agents; antiasthmatic agents; anthelmintic; immunosuppressives; muscle relaxants; antidiuretic agents; vasodilators; nitric oxide; nitric oxide-releasing compounds; beta-blockers; hormones; antidepressants; decongestants; calcium channel blockers; growth factors, bone growth factors or bone morphogenic proteins; wound healing agents; analgesics and analgesic combinations; local anesthetic agents; antihistamines; sedatives; angiogenesis-promoting agents; angiogenesis-inhibiting agents; or tranquilizers.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue is a live tissue.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue is a bioprosthesis tissue.
16. A method of forming an implant in a tissue, the method comprising:
providing an injectable composition configured for thermoreversible gel formation at about 37° C.;
injecting the injectable composition into the tissue at the rate of about 10-12000 injections per minute and/or at an amount of 1.0E-02 ml to 1.0E-16 ml per needle per injection; and
forming a thermoreversible gel at about 37° C. from the injected injectable composition so as to form the gel implant.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the injectable composition includes a polymer is selected from a group consisting of polymers or copolymers of: pluronics; poly ethyleneoxides; polypropylene oxides; reverse pluronics; polyacrylamides; gelatins; cellulose derivatives; polylactones, polylactic acids; polyglycolic acids; polylactice-co-glycolides; polyhydroxy acids; and combinations thereof.
18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the injectable composition and formed gel implant include a visualization agent.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the injectable composition comprises a drug.
20. A method of forming an implant in a tissue, the method comprising:
providing an injectable composition configured for thermoreversible gel formation at about 37° C.;
injecting the injectable composition into the tissue at an amount of 1.0E-02 ml to 1.0E-16 ml per injection; and
forming a thermoreversible gel at about 37° C. from the injected injectable composition so as to form the gel implant.