Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A hydrogel solid comprising diester crosslinked polyglucan selected from the class consisting of amylose, dextran and pullulan succinates and glutarates, said hydrogel solid being water-insoluble and the neutral pH sodium salt of which has a saline retention of isotonic saline solution sufficient to increase the weight of said hydrogel solid to an amount of between about 5 and 90 times its weight.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
62 words
A hydrogel solid comprising diester crosslinked polyglucan selected from the class consisting of amylose, dextran and pullulan succinates and glutarates, said hydrogel solid being water-insoluble and the neutral pH sodium salt of which has a saline retention of isotonic saline solution sufficient to increase the weight of said hydrogel solid to an amount of between about 5 and 90 times its weight.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
A hydrogel solid according to claim 1, comprising diester cross-linked amylose succinate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
A hydrogel solid according to claim 1, comprising diester cross-linked dextran succinate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
A hydrogel solid according to claim 1, comprising diester cross-linked pullulan succinate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
A hyrogel solid according to claim 1, comprising diester cross-linked amylose glutarate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A hydrogel solid according to claim 1, which, when in the form of its neutral pH sodium salt, has a saline retention of between about 5 and 40 times its original weight.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A hydrogel solid according to claim 1, which, when in the form of its neutral pH sodium salt, has a saline retention of between about 5 and 20 times its original weight.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A hydrogel solid according to claim 1, which, prior to cross-linking, has a degree of substitution of between about 0.35 and 2.5.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A hydrogel solid according to claim 1, which, prior to cross-linking, has a degree of substitution of between about 0.8 and 1.2.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A hydrogel solid in accordance with claim 1, in the form of a reticulated porous sponge.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A reticulated, porous hydrogel sponge in accordance with claim 10, wherein the polyglucan is amylose.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A reticulated, porous hydrogel sponge in accordance with claim 10, having a pH of between about 5 and 8.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A reticulated, porous hydrogel sponge in accordance with claim 10, wherein the average pore size is less than about 1 millimeter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A reticulated, porous hydrogel sponge in accordance with claim 10, wherein the void volume is between about 80% and 95%.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A reticulated, porous hydrogel sponge in accordance with claim 11, wherein the cross-linked polyglucan diester is of amylose succinate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A reticulated, porous hydrogel sponge in accordance with claim 11, wherein the cross-linked polyglucan diester is of amylose glutarate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
92 words
A reticulated, porous sponge of diester crosslinked amylose hydrogel selected from the class consisting of succinate and glutarate, said hydrogel being water-insoluble, the neutral pH sodium salt of which has a saline retention of isotonic saline solution sufficient to increase the weight of said hydrogel to an amount of between about 5 and 40 times its weight, having an average pore size of less than about 1 millimeter and a void volume of between about 80% and 95%, having the ability to retain up to 40 times its weight of isotonic saline.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
92 words
A reticulated, porous sponge of diester crosslinked amylose hydrogel selected from the class consisting of succinate and glutarate, said hydrogel being water-insoluble, the neutral pH sodium salt of which has a saline retention of isotonic saline solution sufficient to increase the weight of said hydrogel to an amount of between about 5 and 40 times its weight, having an average pore size of less than about 1 millimeter and a void volume of between about 80% and 95%, having the ability to retain up to 40 times its weight of isotonic saline.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A reticulated, porous hydrogel sponge, having applied to at least one surface thereof, a powder of hydrogel solid in accordance with claim 1.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
A reticulated, porous hydrogel sponge in accordance with claim 18, wherein the amount of powder is between about 0.1 and 1.0 parts per unit weight of sponge.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
94 words
A process for preparing a diester cross-linked polyglucan hydrogel solid according to claim 1, consisting essentially of acidifying to a pH of less than about 5.2 a polyglucan succinate or glutarate mono-ester and removing the water therefrom at a temperature of below about 135° C. to cross-link the monoester and form a diester which is water-insoluble and the neutral pH sodium salt of which has a saline retention of isotonic saline solution sufficient to increase the weight of said hydrogel solid to an amount of between about 5 and 90 times its original weight.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process in accordance with claim 20, wherein the hydrogel solid is cross-linked until it has a saline retention of between about 5 and 40 times its original weight.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process in accordance wih claim 20, wherein the hydrogel solid is cross-linked until it has a saline retention of between about 5 and 20 times its original weight.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process in accordance with claim 20, wherein the polyglucan succinate or glutarate starting material has a degree of substitution of between about 0.8 and 1.2.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
149 words
A process for preparing a reticulated, porous sponge of diester cross-linked polyglucan hydrogel according to claim 1, consisting essentially of acidifying to a pH of less than about 5.2 a polyglucan succinate or glutarate mono-ester having a degree of substitution of between about 0.8 and 1.2, adding a reticulating agent in an amount capable of providing controlled melting during freeze-drying, freezing the resulting mixture at a temperature below about minus 30° C. and freeze-drying under an absolute pressure of less than about 1000 microns of mercury, and finally removing the water therefrom at a temperature of below about 135° C. to cross-link the mono-ester and form a diester which is waterinsoluble and the neutral pH sodium salt of which has a saline retention of isotonic saline solution sufficient to increase the weight of said hydrogel solid to an amount of between about 5 and 40 times its original weight.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process in accordance with claim 24, wherein the hydrogel solid is cross-linked until it has a saline retention of between about 5 and 20 times its original weight.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process in accordance with claim 24, wherein the polyglucan is amylose.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
64 words
A process according to claim 24, wherein the reticulating agent is: (1) of vapor pressure less than water at a temperature below about 0° C., (2) capable of reducing the freezing point of the composition during freeze drying to a point at which the remaining composition melts and (3) in combination with the water remaining, a solvent for the polyglucan succinate or glutarate mono-ester.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
45 words
A process for providing hemostasis at the site of a wound which comprises applying to the surface of the wound a diester cross-linked polyglucan hydrogel solid in accordance with claim 1, having a saline retention of between about 5 and 30 times its original weight.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process in accordance with claim 28, wherein the hydrogel solid, prior to cross-linking, has a degree of substitution of between about 0.35 and 2.5.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process in accordance with claim 28, wherein the hydrogel solid, prior to cross-linking, has a degree of substitution of between about 0.8 and 1.2.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process in accordance with claim 28, in which the polyglucan diester is amylose succinate.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process in accordance with claim 28, in which the polyglucan diester is dextran succinate.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process in accordance with claim 28, in which the polyglucan diester is pullulan succinate.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process in accordance with claim 28, in which the polyglucan diester is amylose glutarate.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process in accordance with claim 28, wherein the diester cross-linked hydrogel is in the form of a reticulated porous sponge.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process in accordance with claim 35, wherein the reticulated porous sponge has an average pore size of less than about 1 millimeter.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process in accordance with claim 35, wherein the reticulated porous sponge has a void volume of between about 80% and 95%.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process for providing homostatis at the site of a wound a powder of hydrogel solid in accordance with claim 1.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process in accordance with claim 38, wherein the amount of powder is between about 0.1 and 1.0 parts per unit weight of sponge.