Patent ID: 8709463

Claim:
A process for making a composition useful in a hemostatic device, comprising: providing a polymer solution having a water-soluble or water-swellable polysaccharide polymer dissolved in a suitable solvent therefore wherein said polymer is sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, providing biocompatible, oxidized cellulose particles that comprise carboxylic-oxidized regenerated cellulose and having an average designated nominal size from about of 0.035 to about 4.35 mm, contacting said polymer solution with said oxidized cellulose particles under conditions effective to disperse said oxidized cellulose particles homogenously throughout said polymer solution to form a homogenous dispersion, subjecting said polymer solution having said particles dispersed throughout to conditions effective to solidify said homogenous dispersion; and removing said solvent from the solidified dispersion by lyophilization, thereby forming said composition in the form of a porous sponge having a thickness of between 2 mm and 10 mm comprising said particles and a porous, water-soluble or water-swellable polysaccharide polymer binder component.