Application of polymer-mesh device to remodel left ventricular-mitral valve apparatus in ischemic mitral regurgitation.

Objectives: Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) results from ischemic left ventricular (LV) distortion and remodeling, which displaces the papillary muscles and tethers the mitral valve leaflets apically. The aim of this experimental study was to examine efficacy of an adjustable novel polymer filled mesh (poly-mesh) device to reverse LV remodeling and reduce IMR.

Methods: Acute (N = 8) and chronic (8 weeks; N = 5) sheep models of IMR were studied.

Corneal Cross-Linking With Verteporfin and Nonthermal Laser Therapy.

Purpose: To test whether verteporfin with a nonthermal laser increases corneal mechanical stiffness and resistance to enzymatic degradation ex vivo.

Methods: Thirty human corneas (n = 5 per group) were treated with verteporfin alone (V), irradiated with nonthermal laser therapy (689 nm) alone (NTL), or received combined treatment of verteporfin with nonthermal laser therapy for 1 sequence (V+NTL1) or 6 sequences (V+NTL6) of 1 minute of NTL exposure. Positive controls were pretreated with 0.

Quantifying the lubricity of mechanically tough polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels for cartilage repair.

Polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels are biocompatible and can be used as synthetic articular cartilage. Their mechanical characteristics can be tailored by various techniques such as annealing or blending with other hydrophilic polymers. In this study, we quantified the coefficient of friction of various candidate polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels against cobalt-chrome alloy or swine cartilage using a new rheometer-based method.

Rheological and molecular weight comparisons of approved hyaluronic acid products - preliminary standards for establishing class III medical device equivalence.

Hyaluronic acid of various molecular weights has been in use for the treatment of osteoarthritis knee pain for decades. Worldwide, these products are regulated as either as drugs or devices and in some countries as both. In the US, this class of products is regulated as Class III medical devices, which places specific regulatory requirements on developers of these materials under a Pre-Market Approval process, typically requiring data from prospective randomized controlled clinical studies.

Efficacy of polymer injection for ischemic mitral regurgitation: persistent reduction of mitral regurgitation and attenuation of left ventricular remodeling.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the chronic effects of polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) injection on mitral regurgitation (MR) reduction, mitral valve geometry, and left ventricular (LV) remodeling in a chronic ischemic MR sheep model.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated acute efficacy of PVA hydrogel polymer injection into infarcted myocardium underlying the papillary muscle to relieve MR by papillary muscle repositioning. However, the chronic efficacy of PVA injection in the chronic infarction setting remains unclear.

Oxidative-induction time as a measure of vitamin E concentration in ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.

A novel, sensitive method for quantifying an equivalent antioxidant concentration, specifically vitamin E (VE), in postprocessed ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) for orthopedic implants is presented. This method correlates oxidative-induction time (OIT) determined from differential scanning calorimetry with starting VE weight percent in solvent blended samples using a nonlinear power law fit. The generated calibration curve reliably determined the equivalent VE concentration down to blended concentrations lower than 0.

Polymer injection therapy to reverse remodel the papillary muscles: efficacy in reducing mitral regurgitation in a chronic ischemic model.

Background: Ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR) results from displacement of the papillary muscles caused by ischemic ventricular distortion. Progressive left ventricular (LV) remodeling has challenged therapy. Our hypothesis is that repositioning of the papillary muscles can be achieved by injection of polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) hydrogel polymer into the myocardium in chronic MR despite advanced LV remodeling.

A novel approach for reducing ischemic mitral regurgitation by injection of a polymer to reverse remodel and reposition displaced papillary muscles.

Background: Ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR) relates to displacement of the papillary muscles from ischemic ventricular distortion. We tested the hypothesis that repositioning of the papillary muscles can be achieved by injection of polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) polymer, a biologically inert biomaterial that has been specially formulated to produce an encapsulated, stable, resilient gel once injected into the myocardium. The purpose is to materially support the infarcted myocardium while at the same time repositioning the papillary muscles that become apically tethered in MR.

The effect of polyethylene glycol on the stability of pores in polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels during annealing.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels are candidate biomaterials for cartilage resurfacing or interpositional arthroplasty devices requiring high-creep resistance and high water content to maintain lubricity. Annealing of PVA improves creep resistance but also reduces the water content. We hypothesized that maintaining poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) within PVA during annealing would prevent the collapse of the pores and thus would result in high equilibrium water content (EWC).