The invention provides a biological dressing for treatment of a dermatological disease comprised of a gum resin, a topically acceptable volatile solvent, and a pharmacologically active agent. The gum resin is present in a suitable amount that the composition, when the solvent evaporates, will dry to form a solid coating that sticks to the skin or mucosal membrane to which the composition is applied and maintain the pharmacologically active agent over a sustained period of time in contact with sites on the skin or mucosal membranes exhibiting symptoms of the disease. Methods are provided for treating symptoms of dermatological diseases with such a pharmacological composition. Biological dressings including tincture of benzoin and clotrimazole are shown to be efficacious for the long-term amelioration of symptoms of athlete's foot.

Adhesive medical tapes for oral mucosa comprising a support layer composed of an intestine-soluble polymer and a medicament-containing layer composed of a water-soluble polymer containing at least one kind of a steroid or non-steroid antiphlogistic and analgesic medicament.

Medical catheters and methods are provided for dispensing and implanting materials and devices within the bodies of living beings. In one form, an implantable device or material is disposed within the operating head of a catheter which is caused to move through a body duct to a select location therein which location is detected either by externally scanning the body duct with radiation or ultrasonic energy or by viewing an image of the body duct adjacent the head of the catheter by means of a fiber optical viewing system including a fiber optic cable extending along the catheter. When properly located, a mechanical, electro-mechanical and/or fluidically operated mechanism in the head of the catheter is operated causing a select quantity of an implantable material or an implant to be forced from the head and caused to engage a select portion of the wall of the body duct and attach thereto to retain such implant or material in engagement therewith. In a particular form, attachment is effected by means of a biodegradeable adhesive which sets in situ per se or between the implant of implantable material and the tissue of the wall of the body duct. Thereafter the catheter is retracted and either completely removed from the wall of the body duct or is disposed at a second location and the procedure repeated with respect to a second implant or second quantity of material to be attached to the wall of the body duct.

A therapeutic composition having wet adherent properties and particularly useful for delivery of medicaments to mucosal surfaces comprises a therapeutically effective amount of a medicament dispersed in a base material comprising from about 3 to 15% by weight of a water soluble salt of a copolymer of methyl vinyl ether and maleic acid or anhydride and from about 85 to 97% by weight of polyethylene glycol. Formulations of the base material with triamcinolone acetonide and lidocaine are particularly efficacious in the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulcers.

A therapeutic ointment having wet adherent properties and particularly well suited for delivery of medicaments to mucosal surfaces includes a base material comprising from about 3 to 15% by weight of a water soluble salt of a copolymer of methyl vinyl ether and maleic acid or anhydride in a polyethylene glycol ointment. Formulations of the base material with triamcinolone acetonide and lidocaine are particularly efficacious in the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulcers.