Methods and compositions for stabilizing the myocardium

摘要

The present invention provides materials and methods that can serve as a prosthetic and/or, for tissue engineer applications, as a supporting matrix in the stabilization of the myocardium. For example, the present invention provides methods of stabilizing an injured or defective myocardial wall in a patient including forming a prosthetic in situ by injecting, at a pre-selected site in the myocardial wall of the patient, a polymer network including: a cross-linked polymer, the cross-linked polymer being a hydrogel; and a linear polymer, the polymer chains of which are entangled within the cross-linked polymer, wherein the linear polymer is not covalently bonded to the cross-linked polymer.

主权项

1. A method of stabilizing an injured or defective myocardial wall in a patient comprising forming a prosthetic in situ by injecting, at a pre-selected site in the myocardial wall of the patient, a polymer network comprising:
a cross-linked polymer, said cross-linked polymer being a hydrogel; and a linear polymer, the polymer chains of which are entangled within said cross-linked polymer, wherein said linear polymer is not covalently bonded to said cross-linked polymer, and said polymer network has an LCST (lower critical solution temperature) above room temperature and at or below mammalian body temperature.