Haemostatic device

Abstract

A bioresorbable haemostatic foam sponge for adhering to a wound. The sponge has a tissue-contacting surface divided into a plurality of closely-spaced tissue contacting elements. Also disclosed are methods for forming the haemostatic sponge and methods of using the sponge.

1 . A bioresorbable haemostatic foam sponge for adhering to a wound, the sponge having a tissue-contacting surface divided into a plurality of closely-spaced tissue contacting elements, wherein the sponge is manufactured from collagen, starch, gelatin or hyaluronic acid. 
     
     
         2 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1 , wherein the tissue contacting elements are finger-like or columnar. 
     
     
         3 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1  wherein each tissue contacting element has a depth of at least 2 mm. 
     
     
         4 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1 , wherein each tissue contacting element has a depth of 10 mm or less. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1 , wherein the depth of each tissue contacting element is 80% or less of the depth of the sponge. 
     
     
         7 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of each tissue contacting element is substantially rectangular. 
     
     
         8 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1 , wherein each tissue contacting element has a cross-sectional area of 25 mm 2  or less. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1  wherein the cross-sectional area of each tissue contacting element is substantially uniform. 
     
     
         12 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1 , wherein the maximum cross-sectional linear dimension of each tissue contacting element is 10 mm or less. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1 , wherein the maximum cross-sectional linear dimension is two times or less than the depth of the tissue contacting element. 
     
     
         15 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1 , wherein the tissue contacting elements are arranged such that each tissue contacting element is within at least 1 mm, at least 0.5 mm or at least 0.1 mm of another tissue contacting element. 
     
     
         16 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1 , wherein the tissue contacting elements are arranged such that there are at least 4 tissue contacting elements per 100 mm 2  of the tissue-contacting surface. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1 , wherein the sponge has pores with a diameter of 3 mm or less, or wherein at least 50% of the pores have a diameter between 1 and 1500 μm, or between 5 and 750 μm. 
     
     
         20 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1  which comprises an immobilised haemostatic agent. 
     
     
         21 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 14 , wherein the haemostatic agent comprises a clotting factor, preferably thrombin and/or fibrinogen. 
     
     
         22 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 14 , wherein the haemostatic agent comprises carriers with a plurality of fibrinogen-binding peptides immobilised to each carrier. 
     
     
         23 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1 , comprising reactive chemical groups that can react to form covalent bonds when contacted with tissue. 
     
     
         24 . A haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1  in which the tissue contacting elements have been formed by cutting or incising a surface of a sponge. 
     
     
         25 . A method for forming a haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1 , comprising cutting or embossing a surface of a haemostatic sponge. 
     
     
         26 . A method of controlling bleeding, comprising administering a haemostatic sponge according to  claim 1 , to a wound.