Patent ID: 11925731
Assignee: TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A method for reducing postsurgical scarring at a target tissue, comprising:
(a) forming particles of a pre-gel mixture, the pre-gel mixture comprising an extracellular matrix (ECM) digest and a buffer solution, wherein the ECM digest comprises a collagen to carbohydrate ratio of at least about 70:1, wherein the buffer solution promotes a phase change of the pre-gel mixture to a hydro gel, wherein the particles of the pre-gel mixture have an average maximum dimension of at most 500 μm;
(b) applying the particles of the pre-gel mixture to the target tissue at a shear rate of at least 1 s−1; and
(c) promoting the formation of the hydrogel by 1) increasing a temperature of the pre-gel mixture by presenting the pre-gel mixture to the target tissue at a temperature that is lower than a temperature of the target tissue, 2) increasing a temperature of the pre-gel mixture by heating the pre-gel mixture, 3) exposing the pre-gel mixture to a light source; 4) interacting a chemical with the pre-gel mixture; 5) interacting an enzyme with the pre-gel mixture; or 6) a combination thereof, and
(d) forming a hydrogel film over the target tissue, wherein the hydrogel film is at least 10 μm thick, and comprises a storage modulus of at least 1,000 Pa when measured by parallel plate rheometry after gelation occurs isothermally at 37° C. at constant shear strain of 1% and a frequency of 1.6 Hz,
wherein the pre-gel mixture is applied onto the target tissue after completion of a surgical procedure,
wherein the forming of the hydrogel reduces the formation of adhesions on an adjacent tissue.