Patent ID: 9636189
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61F,A61K,A61L

Claim:
1. A method for making a dehydrated hydrogel plug that expands in a controlled manner when hydrated, the method comprising: forming said hydrogel plug so that it has a predetermined geometric configuration when in a repose configuration; subjecting said hydrogel plug to a dehydration process; inducing stress into said hydrogel plug after said dehydration process by applying an external force so that said hydrogel plug is stressed beyond its elastic limit; controlling said stress so that said hydrogel plug, when under stress, assumes a preselected stretched geometrical configuration; curing said dehydrated hydrogel plug, wherein curing said dehydrated hydrogel plug comprises curing said dehydrated hydrogel plug inside a core of a coil and between loops of the coil to achieve a selected coverage of a hyperechoic marker; removing said externally applied force after the dehydration process so that the cured and dehydrated hydrogel plug retains said preselected geometrical configuration after said externally applied force has been removed; and hydrating said cured and dehydrated hydrogel plug to make said cured and dehydrated hydrogel plug substantially return to the repose configuration after the hydration process is concluded.