Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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COMPOSITION FOR SEALING WOUNDS
BACKGROUND OF TH~ INVENTION
~ield of the Invention
This invention relates to a composition of and method for producing a
S hemostatic dressing con.ci~ttng of a carrier, a binding agent and sub~iues of
animal or human origin that are conducive to the coagulation of blood and/or thehealing of wounds, and is capable of stopping bleeding, especially arterial
bleeding.
Background of the Invention
It has been known to use various types of materials cont~ining blood
clotting s~bst~n~es to close and cover wounds. A difficulty in producing these
materials is the n~cessity of preventing the coagulation substances, notably
fibrinogen and thrombin, from reacting prior to use. One approach to preventing
the clotting factors from reacting with each other prior to use has been to provide
15 a layered collagen sheet co~ g fibrinogen on one layer and ~lrolllbin on an
adjacent layer as described in U.S. Patents 4,606,337 and 4,683,142. A
disadvantage of this method is that the fibrinogen and thrombin are not in closecontact with each other and must mix after being applied to the wound. This
could cause a delay in the onset of coagulation. Another disadvantage of this
20 method is the n~cessity of having to rn~nllf~ct~lre several dirr~lclll layers and then
assemble them in the proper order. Fur~ermore, this patent describes the use of
only glycoproteins as the carrier matrix and is not applicable to other materials.
A tissue adhesive is disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,600,574 which uses a
tissue comp~tible material select~l from the group con~i~ting of collagen, gelatin
25 and polysaccharide. This material is impregnated with fibrinogen and Factor
XIII and then Iyophilized This material does not contain thrombin, and relies onendogenous thrombin production at the wound site. This is an obvious
disadvantage especially where there is co~ tive coagulopathy or any other
reason for insufficient thrombin to be produced to rapidly form a clot with the
30 fibrinogen supplied on the material being applied to the wound.
U.S. Patent 4,442,655 discloses the pl~pa.a~ion, rn~m-fa~ re and use
of a preparation in which the fibrinogen and thrombin are allowed to react to
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form the material which is then used as a wound toilet material, a filling material
for bone cavities and/or as a support material for other substances. This is not a
hemostatic product.
A composition for sealing and healing wounds is disclosed in U.S.
Patent 4,453,939. This composition is a collagen matrix to which fibrinogen and
o.llbi n are added in the p.esel~ce of an organic solvent such as alcohols,
ketones, ethers, esters, and halogenated hydrocarbons. These organic solvents
are known to inactivate and de~ .c proteins such as fibrinogen and thrombin
with denaturation occurring more rapidly as the temperature is increased. Hence
the m~mlf~rtllrin~; process must occur at cold h~ cldluu~es. At cold
temperatures there is still the possibility that the clotting proteins will be
denatured by these organic solvents causing the partial or complete inactivationof the clotting p~vteills. A further disadvantage is that it is an economic and
logistic disadvantage to have a m~mlf;~cturing process which requires refrigerator
lc-ll~c,~ul~s. Additionally, the co~g~ tion co~ lls are dispersed
throughout the collagen matrix, and may not be available at the surface of the
matrix in sufficient qu~ntitiPs to promote coagulation.
Larson et al. (Arch Surg 1995: 130:420-422) have reported the use of
a gauze dressing on which dry fibrinogen and thrombin has been placed to stop
arterial bleeding in ~nim~l~. The dry protein can be dislodged from the dressing,
hence the dressing is not suitable as a commercial dressing. The proteins would
tend to separate from the dressing during pa~ ging and ship~ nl, which reduces
the effectiveness of the dressing.
The object of this invention is to provide a hemostatic dlessillg which
is capable of stopping severe bleeding such as that which occurs when major
blood vessels are severed.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a dressing that
can be more conveniently m~mlf~<ctllred than some prior hemostatic dressings.
Yet another object is to m~nllfactllre a hemostatic dressing that more completely
retains hemostatic efficacy during storage and ship.-le.l~.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a composition for a hemostatic
bandage comprising a carrier, sufficient coagulation constituents to allow blood
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clot formation, wherein the conctih~ent~ are in an enviro~ L such that they
react only when used. The bandage includes a substance which allows the
coagulation con~tit lent~ to adhere to the carrier, hence when the bandage is
placed on a bleeding wound and comes in contact with body fluids, the
5 coagulation con~tit~1ent~ react to form a clot which stops the bleeding. It is not
n~Cess~ry for the body fluids to contain fibrinogen, thrombin or other coagulation
con.ctit~çntc to achieve hemostatic activity. The adhesive material that adheresthe coagulation co,.sli~ c to the carrier is a viscous liquid that does not easily
penetrate very deeply into the carrier, and therefore provides a higher
10 concentration of coagulation factors on the surface of the carrier where they are
needed. The viscous nature of the material also provides improved adhesiveness
to the carrier.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a composition for sealing
and healing wounds and which may be stored for a lengthy period while
5 m~int~ining efficacy. The composition colllplises a carrier which may be
absorbable (so as to be able to be used internally) such as alginic acid or one of
its salts, or any one of a llul~ber of o~er polysaccharides such as cellulose, gum
Y~nth~n, carrageenan or pectin. Gelatin, collagen or other protein capable of
being formed into a carrier may also be used. Alternatively, the carrier may be
20 non-absorbable to be used extern~lly. Examples of non-absorbable carriers aresurgical gauze, clinical felt, polyuletl~le foam and other material commonly
used in mt~Air~l practice. Said carrier is coated on one side with a viscous liquid
such as propylene glycol, glycerol or a low molecular weight polyethylene glycolthat is sufficiently tacky to allow the coagulation constituents to adhere to the
25 carrier. The carrier may also be coated with v~ater in a low concentration and/or
at a low pH so as not to support reaction of the coagulation factors.
The coagulation con~tit~lentC may be applied in a dried or powdered
form and include 1) a thrombin component cont~ining thrombin substances which
~orm thrombin in the presence of body fluids, or a mixture of such substances, 2)
30 a fibrinogen component cont;~inin~ ~lbrinogen, fibrinogen-co~ i"i~,g Factor XIII,
or a mixture of such s~lbst~nres. The mixture of 1 and 2 may contain additives
such as calcium ions, antibiotics or other anti-infection me~lic~ments,
vasoconstrictive substances such as adrenaline. andlor growth factors
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--4 --
To prepare the composition according to the invention, the carrier
may be in the form of a foam, web, film or when possible, as in the case of
cellulose and cotton gauze, it may be woven. Such materials are pr~r~d in a
manner well kno-vn to those skilled in the art. Additionally, an adhesive backing
5 may be applied to the carrier.
The fibrinogen may be of human or animal origin and may be applied
in the range of O. l to 20 mg/cm2, preferably from l to 10 mglcm~ of surface
area of the substrate. The fibrinogen may or may not contain Factor XIII.
Usually fibrinogen co~ g 0.5 to 20 units of Factor XIII per mg of fibrinogen
10 is employed, preferably between 2 and 10 units per mg of fibrinogen. Factor
XIII may be added sepa-ately to hlcle&se its concentration if desired. The
fibrinogen may be in any dry form, preferably in a powdered form to allow rapid
dissolution when in contact with body fluids.
The Lh~ bill may be of human or animal origin and may be applied
in the range of 1 to 20 NIH units/mg fibrinogen, preferably 3 to 12 NIH
unitslmg fibrinogen. In place of thrombin, any subst~n~e or subsLallces that
liberate thrombin may replace thrombin. Examples of such factors include
Factor X or Xa plus plollllolllbill, any of the various enzymes from snake venomthat liberate Illlo-llbill fron~ ~lo~ olllbin such as that from the viper Echis
20 carinatus plus plolh~lllbin~ or enzymes which convert fibrinogen to fibrin such
as that from the viper Bothrops atrox plus p~ h~u~flbill.
In addition to the coagulation factors, other substances such as growth
factors to promote healing, calcium ions to aid coagulation and Factor XIII
activity, adrenaline or other substances to COl~lliCt blood vessels to aid in
25 hemostasis and bactericides to prevent infection.
In order for the coagulation factors and other substances to adhere to
the carrier, the carrier is coated on one or both sides with a sticky biocompatible
non-aqueous substance, that does not denature the coagulation factors nor
participate in or activate the el~y"~lic clotting reaction involving the coagulation
30 factors. Such ~ st~nres include but are not limited to carbohydrates, such assaccharides, for example monosaccharides (such as glucose), oligosaccharides
(such as maltose), polysaccharides (such as glycogen). The sticky, biocomp~tihlesubstances could also be a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerol or other organic
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a&esive polymers, such as polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight of
about 200 to 400 daltons, and propylene glycol. In another embodiment the
carrier may be Iyophili~d in the presence of the viscous liquid. Alternatively,
the carrier may be coated with a very small amount of water preferably at a pH
of about 4 to 6 to allow the snhst~nr~s to stick but not to react.
The dry powdered coagulation factors and other subs~nces may be
mixed together and added at once or they may be added se~ ti~lly. The solids
are preferably milled to a fine powder to enh~nre their solubility and when added
together it is preferable to mix them thoroughly in a blender before binding them
to the carrier.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In a ~lef~,-lcd embodiment, the composition is a solid, fibrous matrix,
such as cotton gau~ or alginic acid, suitable for placement as a pad applied over
or inserted into an open bleeding wound. A mixture of int~rrnin~led particles oflS powdered coagulation factors, preferably fibrinogen and lhlolllbill, are present
alongside one another in the matrix to readily interact when moistened by blood
or other aqueous body fluids that provide an aqueous liquid reaction m~dil-m.
The particles are adhered to the sold matrix by a viscous nonaqueous adhesive
material, such as a viscous polysaccharide, polyethylene glycol, or petroleum
jelly, that interferes with or does not participate in the el~ylllatic clotting reaction
involving the coagulation factors at room temperature and at physiologic pH
(about 7 .3-7.4).
The thrombin/fibrinogen reaction is hydrolytic and requires an
aqueous m~ m for the fibrin clot to be formed. The viscous adhesive is
substantially free of water, and thelcfole subst~nti~lly prevents fibrin clot
formation. The nonaqueous viscous adhesive preferably contains less than 15%
by weight water, prefelably less than 10%, most preferably less than 3% water.
Weights are expressed in weight percent of the final product (which includes
matrix, viscous adhesive, and coagulation factors).
In the ~çefell~,d embodiment, the polysaccharide or other adhesive
material is sufficiently tacky to adhere to the matrix a sufficient amount of the
commin~;led particles of the powdered coagulation factors to form a clot when
the matrix is exposed to an aqueous solution, blood from a wound, or body
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fluids, such as serosanguinous fluid or cerebrospinal fluid. The clot that is
formed is suf~lcient to reduce or stop bleeding or leaking from a wound, such asan abrasion, spinal needle puncture, laceration, avulsion or surgical incision.
The invention also includes clotting compositions made by the method
S of adhering particles of the powdered coagulation factors to the matrix, such as a
cotton gauze or all alginic acid matrix. The particles are adhered to the matrixby the viscous adhesive material, which m~int~in~ the physically commin~led
particles within the matrix, near the surface, but inhibits clotting action until the
matrix is exposed to an aqueous me~ m that dissolves the particles and permits
10 participation of the coagulation factors in the clotting cascade, and formation of a
fibrin clot.
The method by which ~e composition is made includes applying the
viscous adhesive to the matrix, followed by application of a mixture of solid
thrombin and fibrinogen particles to the matrix. Alternatively, the thrombin and15 fibrinogen particles can be suspended in the nonaqueous viscous adhesive liquid
that inhibits or prevents the hydrolytic reaction and fibrin clot formation. This
viscous mixture cont~inin~ the particles can be applied as a slurry directly to the
surface or surfaces of the matrix. The high viscosity of the adhesive inhibits
absorption of the adhesive and sll<~,cllded particles deep into the matrix, such that
20 the particles remain relatively available for participation in clotting reactions
during use. The composition can be prepared at and stored without refrigeration.Preparation and storage can occur, for example, at 20-35~.
Methods of use of the composition include applying the composition
to the surface of an abrasion, laceration, puncture, avulsion, surgical incision or
25 other injury to promote clotting and stop bleeding. The composition can also be
packed into open wounds by physicians or emergency m~dic~l pel~o~ el, to
promote coagulation and r~imini~h blood loss. The composition is particularly
useful at stopping life-tl~?tenin~ arterial blood loss that can lead to
exsanguination. It is p-efelled to apply one of the coated surfaces of the
30 composition directly to the source of bleeding, such as an abraded dermal
surface.
The invention is further explained by the following exa nples, which,
however do not constitute a limitation thereof.
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EXAMPLE 1
A 2% solution of low viscosity sodium ~Igin~te from Macrocystis
pyrifira (Sigma Ch~omi~l Co., St. Louis, MO) was p~epa-~d by dissolving the
~lgin~te in water at 60~. Ten mL of this solution was placed in a round
S aluminl~m mold 4.4 cm in ~ m~ter (15 cm2), frozen at -20~ and Iyophilized.
The Iyophilization was carried out with the product at room temperature, the
condenser at -40~ to -50~ and the vacuum at 30 to 60 millitorr. The resulting
pad was dipped at room l~l--peldlu.c into a su~pen~ion of 100 mg bovine
fibrinogen (56% protein, 95% clottable, Sigma Ch~omi~l Co., St. Louis, MO)
and 6 mg bovine thrombin [56 NIH units/mg (as det.,.~ ed by direct
comparison to NIH thrombin reference standard J), Sigma ChPmir~l Co., St.
Louis, MO] in 3 mL polyethylene glycol (average molecular weight 300,
viscosity 5.8 centistokes or 6.5 centipoise at 210~F, Sigma Ch~mi~l Co., St.
Louis, MO) so as to coat the pad at room temperature (about 25~C) with the
fibrinogen throm~in mixture. The pad was kept at room ten.~ ature for 15 to
30 mimltes to ensure that no clot would form. Then, in order to test the abilityof the resulting pad to form a clot when exposed to an aqueous environ~llelll the
pad was placed in a small dish (4.4 cm di~m~ter) con~inin~ 4 mL of 40 mM
Tris, pH 7.4 and 5 mM CaC12 at 37~. In less than 30 seconds, a clot formed
which adhered tightly to the bottom of the dish.
The test described in this and other examples can be used as an assay
to select other adhesive materials, reactant amounts, reaction conditions, and
other process parameters ~at will produce a product that forms a clot when
exposed to body fluids under conditions of use.
EXAMPLE 2
A pad of sodium ~lginqte prepared as in Example 1, was dipped in a
4.4 cm di~m~ter ~ min--m dish cont~inin~ 10() mg of bovine fibr~nogen, 5 mg of
bovine thrombin (the same proteins that were described in Example 1) in 3 mL
of glycerol (viscosity of 1497 cps at 20~C, Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis,
MO). After st~n~lin~ for 15 tO 30 minutes the pad was dipped in an ~ tnimlrn
dish (4.4 cm ~i~mPter) cont~inin~ 2 mL of 40 mM Tris pH 7.4 and 5 mM CaCl~
at 37~. In less than 30 seconds, a clot formed which adhered tightly to the
bottom of the dish.
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-8 -
EXAMPLE 3
Nine mL of a sodium ~Igin~te solution prepared as in Example 1 was
mixed with 1 mL of polyethylene glycol of average molecular weight 300 and
placed in a 4.4 cm ~ mpter ~ll.. ,.i.. dish and Iyophilized as in Example 1.
Similarly, 8.5 mL of this solution was mixed with 1.5 mL of polyethylene
glycol, average molecular weight 400 ~viscosity 7.3 centistokes or 8.2 centipoise
at 210~F, Sigma Ch~-mi~l Co., St. Louis, MO) and 8 mL was mixed with 2 mL
of polyethylene glycol average molecular weight 400 or 2 mL of polyethylene
glycol average molecular weight 400 or 2 mL of polyethylene glycol average
molecular weight 300 and lyophilized as above. The pads produced this way
were more flexible than those made wilh~uL polyethylene glycol and the
flexibility and tackiness increased with increasing amounts of polyethylene
glycol. There were no noticeable dirl~lellce between the 300 and 400 molecular
weight polyethylene glycol.
EXAMPLE 4
- To 13 mL of a 2% sodium :~lginqte solution prepared as in
Example 1, add 2 mL of lM CaCl2. Place in 4.4 cm ~ mPter ah~.,.;...~.~ mold
and lyophilize as in Example 1. This produced a pad of sodium-calcium ~lgin~e
which was more rigid than the sodium ~Igin~te alone.
EXAMPLE 5
A 2% solution of carrageenan (vegetable gelalin from Irish Moss,
Type 1, Sigma Ch~ ic~l Co., St. Louis, MO) was prepared by dissolving the
carrageenan in water at 60~ to 80~. Ten mL of this solution was placed in a
round all~min~m mold 4.4 cm in ~ m~ter (15 cm2), frozen at -20~ and
Iyophili7lo~. Eight mL of this solution was m~xed with 2 mL of polyethylene
glycol average molecular weight 400 and placed in a round al~ . mold 4.4
cm in ~ Pter and Iyophilized. The lyophilization was carried out with the
product at room tt;~ >e,~lu~e, the condenser at -40~ to -50~ and the vacuum at 30
to 60 millitorr. The pad without the polyethylene glycol was brittle while the
one with polyethylene glycol was very soft, pliable and tacky. The pad that was
prepared with polyethylene glycol was placed in a small dish con~inin~ 100 mg
bovine fibrinogen (56% protein, 95% clottable, Signa Chemical Co., St. Louis,
MO) and 7 mg bovine thrombin [56 NIH units/mg (as determined by direct
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WO 97J28832 rCT/US97101901
_ g _
comparison to NIH thrombin r~l~.e.l~e standard J) bovine tnrombin, Sigma
Chrmiç~l Co., St. Louis, MO]. The pad was pressed fi~nly into the dry powder
so as to illlprey,llate the powder into the pad. The pad was kept at room
te~llpelature for one hour to ensure that no clot would form. Then, in order to
S test the ability of the reslllting pad to form a c lot when exposed to an aqueous
en~/iro,.l"enl the pad was placed in a small dish (4.4 cm r1i~meter) cont~ining 3
mL of 40 mM Tris, pH 7.4 and 5 mM CaC12 at 37~. In 30 to 40 seconds, a clot
formed which adhered tightly to the bottom of the dish.
EXAMPLE 6
A 2% solution of gum x~nth~n (Practical Grade, Sigma Chemical
Co., St. Louis, MO) was pl~pa~d by dissolving the gum in water at 60~ to 80~.
Ten mL of this solution was placed in a round al...l,i"...~ mold 4.4 cm in
diameter (15 cm2). Eight mL of this solution was mixed with 2 mL of
polyethylene glycol average molecular weight 400 and placed in a round
15 ~luminllm mold 4.4 cm in (~i~m~.t~r. Both molds were frozen at -20~ and
Iyophilized as in Example 5. The pad without the polyethylene glycol was brittlewhile the one with polyethylene glycol was very soft, pliable and tacky.
EXAMPLE 7
A gau~ bandage was folded into a three layer square of 36 cm2.
20 Two mL of polyethylene glycol, molecular weight 400 daltons, was spread
evenly over the gauze. A mixture of 100 mg of fibrinogen and 4 mg of
thrombin were applied to the gauze. Four mL, of Tris buffer, pH 7.4 and 5 mM
CaCI2 was placed in a plastic dish so as to form a shallow layer. The solution
was heated to 37~ and the ~llol~in and fibrinogen cont~inin~ gauze was placed
25 in the dish. In less than one minute, the gauze was firmly ~ r.hrd to the bottom
of the dish by the fibrin clot which formed.
EXAMPLE 8
A carrageenan pad pl~al~d without polyethylene glycol as in
Example 5 was coated with a thin film of petroleum jelly. Then 100 mg bovine
30 fibrinogen (56% protein, 95% clottable, Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO)
and 7 mg bovine thrombin [56 NIH unitslmg ~as determined by direct
comparison to NIH thrombin ref~l~nce standard J), Sigma (:hPn~ir~l Co., St.
Louis, MO] was impregnated into the pad. The pad was kept at room
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- 1 0 -
l~lllp~,ld~ule for one hour to ensure that no clot would form. To test the ability
of the resulting pad to form a clot when exposed to an aqueous environment, the
pad was placed in a small dish (4.4 cm di~m~ter) conr~ining 3 mL of 40 mM
Tris pH 7.4 and 5 mM CaC12 at 37~. In 30 to 40 seconds, a clot formed which
S adhered tightly to the bottom of the dish.
EXAMPLE 9
A 4% solution of low viscosity sodium ~lgin~te from Macrocystis
pyrifira (Sigma ChPrnir~1 Co., St. Louis, MO) was ~ J~ed by dissolving the
~lgin~te in water at 60~. Fifteen mL of this solution was placed in a round
~ll.. il.. -- mold 4.4 cm in t~i~m~Pter (lScm2, frozen at -20~) and lyophilized. The
Iyophilization was carried out with the product at room tenll)elalule, the
condenser at 40~ to -50~ and the vacuum at 30 to 50 millitorr. The resulting
cake was 10 mm thick. The cake was attaçl-P~ to a Bertek Inc. (St. Albans VT)
me-lir.~l l~min~t~ con~i~tir~ of copolyester film 325, PSA adhesive 737 and
release liner 2114. The adhesive allowed the pad to adhere firmly to the film.
The resulting pad was dipped at room ~Illpelature into a suspension of 200 mg
bovine fibrinogen (56% protein, 95% clottable, Sigma ChPrnic~1 Co. St. Louis,
MO) and 10 mg bovine thrombin [56 NIH units/mg (as determined by direct
comparison to NIH thrombin ~efel.,l~ce standard J, Sigma Chemical Co., St.
Louis MO] in 3 rnL polyethylene glycol (average molecu}ar weight 300, viscosity
5.8 centistokes at 210~F, Sigma Chemical Co~, St. Louis, MO) so as to coat the
pad with the fibrinogen/thrombin mixture. The pad was kept at room
temperature for two hours to ensure that no clot would form. Then, in order to
test the ability of the res~ltin~ pad to form a clot when exposed to an aqueous
environment, the pad was placed in a small dish (44 x 12.5 mm) cont~ining 4
mL of 40 mM Tris, pH 7.4 and 5 mM CaCl2 at 37~C. ~ Ure was applied to
the pad by taping the ends of the film firm1y to the tabletop. After two minutes,
the tape was peeled from the tabletop and was easily separated from the pad.
The pad strongly adhered to the dish due to the fibrin clot.
For external use this type of hemostatic dressing can be applied with
pressure by adhering the film to the skin adjacent to the wound. As the film is
permeable to air but not to liquids, it can be left in place until healing occurs or
the film can be replaced when nPoes~qry For an internal dressing for large
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openings, the film could be applied with pressure and secured in place with
surgical staples. After the clot has set, the staples would be removed and the
film peeled from the pad leaving the clot and the absorbable pad in place. For acompletely absorbable dressing the pad could be attached to an absorbable mesh
5 (made of polyglycolic acid for example) instead of the copolyester film.
As used in this specification, the term "viscous" means having a
viscosity higher than 100 centipoise at 20~C. In many embo-1im~nt~ of the
invention, the viscous liquid has a viscosity of at least 1000 centipoise? for
example 1 x 103 to 1 x 10l6 centipoise at 20~C'. Examples of the viscosities (in10 centipoise) of sonle of the disclosed adhesive materials at 20~C include: sucrose
at 2.8 x 106, glycerol at 1,490, and glucose at 9.1 x 10l5 These very high
viscosities contrast with the relatively low viscosities of solvents (in centipoise)
such as n-butyl alcohol (2.9 at 20~C), propan~l (1.30 at 50~C), isobutanolol (4.7
at 15~C) and acetone (0.316 at 25~C).
A "nonaqueous liquid" is one that has less than 15% water by weight,
although some embo~1im~nt~ of the nonaqueous liquid have less than 3 % water by
weight, for example 1-3% water by weight.
"Body fluids that activate clotting" include liquid blood (including
whole blood or plasma), serosanguinous fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, and other
fluids produced by the human body that provide a continuous m~ m that is
sufficiently aqueous, and at a physiological pH, that initi~teS the clotting cascade.
A "saccharide" is a sugar, which is a type of carbohydrate.
Examples include maltose, glucose, ethyrose, arabinose and fructose. A
monosaccharide (such as glucose) is a sacchari~e that is not hydrolyzable into
smaller units. A disaccharide (such as maltose) yields two equivalents of the
monosaccharide upon hydrolysis under mildly ;acidic conditions. An
oligosaccharide is a saccharide polymer contimling up to eight saccharide
subunits. A polysaccharide is a polymer in which the number of subunits is
greater than eight for example 100-300 subunits.
Propylene glycol refers to 1,2-propaneglycol. Glycerol is 1,2,3-
plopa~lcl-iol. Petroleum jelly is also known as petrolatum (U.S.P.) or mineral
jelly. Polyethylene glycol is a comlen~tion polymer of ethylene glycol, having
average molecular weights ranging from about 200 to 6000.
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Having illustrated and described the principles of the invention in
several embodiments, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the
invention can be modified in ~~ c~ and detail without de~ ,g from such
principles. I claim all modifications coming within the spirit and scope of the
S following claims.
