Bioabsorbable medical implants
AssigneeUnited States Surgical Corporation
InventorsKeith D'Alessio, Donald S. Kaplan, Ross R. Muth, John Kennedy
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Abstract
A completely bioabsorbable reinforced composite material for use in medical implants and a method for making same. The composite material comprises a hybrid yarn of intimately co-mingled reinforcement fibers of a crystalline polymer and matrix fibers of a polymer having a glass transition temperature below the melting point of the crystalline polymer. The hybrid yarn is heated under pressure to a processing temperature between the glass transition temperature of the matrix fibers and the melting point of the crystalline polymer to form a continuous matrix with reinforcing fibers of crystalline polymer. The composite material may be formed by a two step consolidation process.
Claims8
A bioabsorbable composite surgical implant comprising a hybrid yarn of plied reinforcing and matrix fibers, the reinforcing fibers being made of a bioabsorbable crystalline polymer characterized by a melting point and the matrix fibers being made of a bioabsorbable polymer characterized by a glass transition temperature below the melting point of the crystalline polymer, said hybrid yarn being heated under pressure to a processing temperature above the glass transition temperature of the matrix fibers and below the melting point of the crystalline polymer.
A bioabsorbable composite surgical implant comprising a hybrid yarn of plied reinforcing and matrix fibers, the reinforcing fibers being made of a bioabsorbable crystalline polymer characterized by a melting point and the matrix fibers being made of a blend of bioabsorbable polymers characterized by a glass transition temperature below the melting point of the crystalline polymer, said hybrid yarn being heated under pressure to a processing temperature above the glass transition temperature of the matrix fibers and below the melting point of the crystalline polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.