Segmented, p-Dioxanone-Rich, Poly(p-Dioxanone-co-epsilon-Caprolactone) copolymers for medical applications and devices made therefrom

An absorbable medical device, comprising:

• an absorbable copolymer of the structure A-B-A comprising end segments A and middle segment B, wherein end-segments A comprise polymerized p-dioxanone blocks and the middle segment B is a copolymer comprising a polymerized p-dioxanone-co-epsilon-caprolactone block, and wherein said middle segment B is fully amorphous and contains about 60 mole percent to about 90 mole percent of polymerized epsilon-caprolactone, and about 10 mole percent to about 40 mole percent of polymerized p-dioxanone, and wherein the total amount of polymerized p-dioxanone in the absorbable copolymer is between about 80 mole percent to about 95 mole percent.

An absorbable copolymer of the structure A-B-A comprising end segments A and middle segment B, wherein end-segments A comprise polymerized p-dioxanone blocks and the middle segment B is a copolymer comprising epsilon-caprolactone and a minor amount of a lactone monomer selected from the group consisting of L(−)-lactide, D(+)-lactide, meso-lactide, and trimethylene carbonate, and wherein said middle segment B is fully amorphous and contains about 60 mole percent to about 95 mole percent of polymerized epsilon-caprolactone, and about 5 mole percent to about 40 mole percent of polymerized lactone monomer, and wherein the total amount of polymerized p-dioxanone in the absorbable copolymer is between about 80 mole percent to about 95 mole percent.