Patent ID: 8420740

Claim:
A bioadhesive thermogelling hydrogel composition for repairing or augmenting an intervertebral disc and comprising: a thermoresponsive polymer component which is poly(n-isopropyl acrylamide); an amine-containing polymer component which is poly(ethylene imine) that is further reacted with a carbonate group by the creation of stable urethane linkages; and a crosslinker which is a dialdehyde component that is selected from the group consisting of butanedial, glutaraldehyde, and mixtures thereof, and wherein the dialdehyde component is separated from the poly(ethylene imine) until the poly(n-isopropyl acrylamide, the dialdehyde component, and the poly(ethylene imine) are injected into an intervertebral disc such that the dialdehyde component crosslinks with the poly(ethylene imine) and the composition solidifies in situ, and wherein the solidified in situ composition is capable of crosslinking to tissue surrounding the composition.