A multifunctional bilayered microstent as glaucoma drainage device.

Commercial non-degradable glaucoma implants are often associated with undesired hypotony, fibrosis, long term failure, and damage of adjacent tissues, which may be overcome by a multifunctional polymeric microstent for suprachoroidal drainage. This study reports the design and fabrication of such devices with tailorable internal diameters (50-300 μm) by solvent-free, continuous hot melt extrusion from blends of poly[(ε-caprolactone)-co-glycolide] and poly(ε-caprolactone) [PCL]. A spatially directed release was supported by bilayered microstents with an internal drug-free PCL layer, and a quantitative description of release kinetics with diclofenac sodium as model drug was provided.

Polymers and drugs suitable for the development of a drug delivery drainage system in glaucoma surgery.

Implantation of a glaucoma drainage system is an appropriate therapeutic intervention in some glaucoma patients. However, one drawback with this approach is the fibrotic tissue response to the implant material, leading to reduced flow of aqueous liquid or complete blockage of the drainage system. As a basis for developing an aqueous shunt we report here investigations with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB)) and poly(4-hydroxybutyrate) (P(4HB)) as polymer matrices and with paclitaxel (PTX) and triamcinolone acetonide (TA) as drugs that might, in combination, delay or prevent the process of fibrosis by reducing fibroblast activity.

A new FTIR-ATR cell for drug diffusion studies.

The drug diffusion of most compounds, particularly hydrophilic molecules through the skin is limited by the permeation of the outermost cell layers of the epidermis, the stratum corneum(SC). For this reason it is of interest to characterize drug diffusion processes through this skin layer. A new FTIR-ATR cell was developed for non-invasive real time measurements of drug diffusion.