Hydroswellable, Segmented, Aliphatic Polyurethanes and Polyurethane Ureas

Abstract

Hydroswellable, absorbable and non-absorbable, aliphatic, segmented polyurethanes and polyurethane-urea capable of swelling in the biological environment with associated increase in volume of at least 3 percent have more than one type of segments, including those derived from polyethylene glycol and the molecular chains are structurally tailored to allow the use of corresponding formulations and medical devices as carriers for bioactive agents, rheological modifiers of cyanoacrylate-based tissue adhesives, as protective devices for repairing defective or diseased components of articulating joints and their cartilage, and scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hydroswellable, segmented, aliphatic polyurethane composition comprising polyoxyalkylene chains covalently linked to a second group of polymeric chain segments, the second group of chain segments selected from the group consisting of polyalkylene carbonate chains and polyester chains, the second group of chain segments interlinked with a third group of chain segments, the third group of chain segments selected from the group consisting of aliphatic urethane segments and aliphatic urea segments, the composition exhibiting at least 3 percent increase in volume when placed in the biological environment.