Patent ID: 8551514

Claim:
A process for manufacturing an implantable gel material comprising the steps of: a. providing a solution comprising a polymeric biomaterial dissolved in a first volume of a first fluid; b. lyophilizing said first fluid, thereby forming a lyophilized polymeric biomaterial having a large surface area; c. combining said lyophilized polymeric biomaterial and a rehydrating fluid, wherein said surface area of said lyophilized polymeric biomaterial becomes coated with said rehydrating fluid, and further wherein a second volume of said rehydrating fluid is less than said first volume of said first fluid removed by lyophilization; and d. solvating said polymeric biomaterial by applying a pressurizing force and no mechanical shearing to said combined rehydrating fluid and lyophilized polymeric biomaterial, whereby said polymeric biomaterial collapses into a gel exhibiting a viscoelastic property.