A method of preparing an implantable biomaterial includes combining a polymer comprising polydioxanone with a neuro-regenerative agent or an immunosuppressive agent comprising at least one immunophilin ligand, and melting the polymer. The method further includes extruding the combined polymer and the neuro-regenerative agent or immunosuppressive agent to form the implantable biomaterial.

Provided herein is technology relating to materials having microscale and/or nanoscale features and particularly, but not exclusively, to porous materials comprising microscale features, methods for producing porous materials comprising microscale features, drug delivery vehicles, and related kits, systems, and uses.

A nerve scaffold, including a membrane material and a degradable metal wire. The degradable metal wire is enclosed in the membrane material. The membrane material is biodegradable material, and includes three-dimensional pore structure. The degradable metal wire is horizontally and vertically distributed in the nerve scaffold.

Dural repair devices that are configured to effectively and reliably repair the damage of a dural tear due to incidental durotomies are provided, along with methods of use. The devices and methods enhance the ability of a surgeon to repair a patients dura mater, or dura, during surgery of the central nervous system. The dural repair device has a multi-layer structure configured to exert a pressure or tamponade effect to compress a patient's dura to its state prior to the spinal surgery. Thus, the dural repair devices and methods of use may reduce the patients risk morbidity, further surgery, spinal headaches, or other injuries and discomforts.

Methods for generating porous scaffolds may include tuning a porogen/crystallite's particle size to a desired range and mixing the crystallite particles with a polymer solution. The mixture is then cast to form films. The films are rolled and consolidated around another inner material to create a preform, which is then thermally drawn. The inner material and the porogen can be selectively removed to obtain porous constructs/fibers. The structures can be fuse-printed to produce complex tissue scaffolds with dimensions up to several centimeters and beyond.

A translucent in-vivo indwelling device with a translucent region including a rare earth doped fluorapatite.

In one aspect, apparatuses for providing chemical gradients are described herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus described herein comprises a conduit having a first end and a second end, one or more microchannels disposed in the conduit and extending from the first end toward the second end, and a fiber coiled around the exterior of at least one microchannel, wherein the fiber comprises an active agent that is operable to diffuse into the interior of the microchannel.

A new composition has been developed that incorporates S1P into a conventional demineralized bone matrix material. Once the device is implanted into the spine, the S1P will elute out of the device, thereby setting up a concentration gradient in the vicinity of the device. This gradient will cause stem cells to preferentially migrate to the device.

The invention generally relates to a method of regenerating a nerve fiber in a damaged neural tissue of a patient, the method comprising the steps of: administering an aqueous formulation comprising superparamagnetic particles to the damaged neural tissue in the patient; applying a magnetic field in an orientation which is parallel to the nerve fiber; using the magnetic field for aligning the superparamagnetic particles; forming one or more aligned chains of the superparamagnetic particles in the magnetic field as a scaffold to guide directional growth of regenerating nerve cells; and reconnecting damaged nerve ends in the damaged neural tissue of the patient.

Medical constructs with collagen fibers and gelatin and related collagen fibers. The collagen fibers can be derived from extruded soluble dermal collagen and can include a gelatin film attached to the at least one collagen fiber. The gelatin film can include one or more minerals and has a gelatin concentration of between about 0.1% to about 40% weight per volume.