Prosthetic devices including elastin or elastin-based materials

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is a specific object of the invention to provide an elastin-based prosthetic device suitable for use as a stent, for example, a vascular stent.
The present invention relates to a method of repairing, replacing or supporting a section of a body tissue.
The method comprises positioning an elastin or elastin based biomaterial at the site of the section and bonding the biomaterial to the site or to the tissue surrounding the site.
The bonding is effected by contacting the biomaterial and the site, or tissue surrounding the site, at the point at which said bonding is to be effected, with an energy absorbing agent.
The agent is then exposed to an amount of energy absorbable by the agent sufficient to bond the biomaterial to the site or to the tissue surrounding the site.
More specifically, a tissue-fusible elastin or elastin-based biomaterial can be produced using the process of the present invention which comprises a layer of elastin or elastin-based biomaterial and a tissue substrate each having first and second outer surfaces; and an energy absorbing material applied to at least one of the outer surfaces, the energy absorbing material penetrates into the biomaterial.
The energy absorbing material is energy absorptive within a predetermined range of light wavelengths.
The energy absorbing material is chosen so that when it is irradiated with light energy in the predetermined wavelength range, the intensity of that light will be sufficient to fuse together one of the first and second outer surfaces of the elastin or elastin-based biomaterial and the tissue substrate.
Preferably, the first and second outer surfaces of the elastin or elastin-based biomaterial are major surfaces.
Typically, the energy absorbing material is indirectly irradiated by directing the light energy first through the elastin or elastin-based biomaterial or tissue substrate and then to the energy absorbing material.
In a preferred process of this invention, the energy absorbing material comprises a biocompatible chromophore, more preferably an energy absorbing dye