Reinforced absorbable polymers
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsEugene P. Reilly, Steven C. Arnold, Angelo G. Scopelianos
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Abstract
A composition of an absorbable polymer and a filler to increase the stiffness of the polymer is disclosed. The filler is a poly[succinimide], which is a bioabsorbable polymer that degrades into a nontoxic, simple amino acid. The composition can be melt processed to prepare medical and surgical devices, particularly those devices which are designed to penetrate bodily tissue or to withstand heavy loads. Typical surgical devices which can be made from the composition include surgical staples and ligating clips.
Claims10
An absorbable composition comprising an absorbable polymer selected from the group consisting of aliphatic polyanhydrides, aromatic polyanhydrides, polylactones homopolymers, polylactone copolymers, poly(esteranhydrides), polyiminocarbonates, polyesters of oxalic acid, polyesters of malic acid, polyesters of tartaric acid, polyamides, poly(aminoacids), nontoxic polypeptides, poly(hydroxybutyrate), poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate), bacterially derived polyesters, polyphosphazenes, polyesteramides and block copolymers of polyethylene glycol and polylactones capable of being absorbed by the body containing as a filler a poly[succinimide] in an amount sufficient to increase the stiffness of the polymer having repeating units represented by the following formula:
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.