Antimicrobial compositions and sutures coated therewith

An antimicrobial surgical suture comprising:

• a suture made of a biocompatible suture material, and
• an antimicrobial coating covering at least a portion of the suture, the antimicrobial coating including a minor amount of a bioabsorbable polymer derived from one or more first lactone monomers and a fatty acid ester, and a predominant amount of a rifamycin agent and a tetracycline agent.

A method of forming a coated antimicrobial suture comprising:

• drawing an uncoated suture through an open container including an antimicrobial coating composition to form a wet coated suture, the antimicrobial coating composition including a bioabsorbable polymer derived from one or more lactone monomers, a fatty acid ester, a rifamycin agent, a tetracycline agent, and a solvent,
• drawing the wet coated suture upwardly at a first angle from the open container and through a drying device to form a dry antimicrobial coated suture, and
• drawing the dry coated suture downwardly at a second angle from an exit end of the drying device to a spool.