Patent ID: 6747090
Filing Date: 2004-06-08
Classification: A61L,C08F,C08L,Y10S

Abstract:
An aqueous composition of water soluble polymer, the composition having a coherency effective to substantially prevent dispersion when the composition is injected into an aqueous environment to undergo a crosslinking reaction into a hydrogel and having a zero shear stress viscosity of at least 10.0 Pas,wherein the water soluble polymer comprises (i) a water-soluble polymer bearing free acrylic or other vinylic groups capable of facile free radical reaction with a polymeric water-soluble photoinitiator present in the composition, or (ii) a water-soluble polymer bearing both free acrylic or other vinylic groups capable of facile free radical reaction and photoinitiator groups, wherein the water-soluble polymer is a linear polymer capable of providing the hydrogel with (i) a refractive index of between about 1.36 and about 1.45; (ii) a transmission of visible light of at least about 35%; and (iii) no or substantially no absorption of water from an aqueous environment during hydrogel formation or subsequently, whereby the hydrogel is dimensionally stable and substantially free from swelling, and wherein the water-soluble polymer is capable of being crosslinked when irradiated with light of wavelength greater than about 305 nm to form the hydrogel.