Patent attributes
A sealant for sealing a puncture through tissue includes a first section, e.g., formed from freeze-dried hydrogel, and a second section extending from the distal end. The second section may be formed from PEG-precursors including PEG-ester and PEG-amine, e.g., in an equivalent ratio of active group sites of PEG-ester/PEG-amine greater than one-to-one, e.g., such that excess esters may provide faster activation upon contact with physiological fluids and enhance adhesion of the sealant within a puncture. At least some of the precursors remain in an unreactive state until exposed to an aqueous physiological environment, e.g., within a puncture, whereupon the precursors undergo in-situ cross-linking to provide adhesion to tissue adjacent the puncture. For example, the PEG-amine precursors may include the free amine form and the salt form. The free amine form at least partially cross-links with the PEG-ester and the salt form remains in the unreactive state in the sealant before introduction into the puncture.
