MESH POUCHES FOR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES

摘要

Biodegradable polymer-coated surgical meshes formed into pouches are desc ribed for use with cardiac rhythm management devices (CRMs) and other implan table medical devices. Such meshes are formed into a receptacle, e.g., a pou ch or other covering, capable of encasing, surrounding and/or holding the ca rdiac rhythm management device or other implantable medical device for the p urpose of securing it in position, inhibiting or reducing bacterial growth, providing pain relief and/or inhibiting scarring or fibrosis on or around th e CRM or other implantable medical device. Preferred embodiments include sur gical mesh pouches coated with one or more biodegradable polymers that can a ct as a stiffening agent by coating the filaments or fibers of the mesh to t emporarily immobilize the contact points of those filaments or fibers and/or by increasing the stiffness of the mesh by at least 1.1 times its original stiffness. The pouches of the invention can also provide relief from various post-operative complications associated with their implantation, insertion or surgical use, and, optionally, include one or more drugs in the polymer m atrix of the coating to provide prophylactic effects and/or alleviate side e ffects or complications associated with the surgery or implantation of the C RM or other implantable medical device.