Process and apparatus for coating surgical sutures

A suture coating apparatus, comprising:

• a suture coating head, said suture coating head comprising a vessel suitable for containing a coating mixture having an opening suitable for passing a suture through;
• a first guide means for directing a suture into the coating mixture contained in the vessel;
• a second guide means positioned in said vessel suitable for redirecting the suture out of the coating mixture;
• a third guide having a surface which is adjacent to or contacts the suture and forms a meniscus that removes any excess coating entrained by the suture when it is redirected by the third guide means, wherein the third guide means comprises at least one guide roller comprising a body that has at least one side attached to the body that provides the surface to form the meniscus with the excess entrained coating.