Absorbable polymers and surgical articles fabricated therefrom
AssigneeUnited States Surgical Corporation
InventorsMark S. Roby, Lydmilla K. Kokish, Rooma M. Mehta, Jerry Y. Jonn
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Abstract
Synthetic absorbable medical devices made totally or in part from a random polymer comprising glycolide, lactide, trimethylene carbonate, and caprolactone are provided. The polymer can be fabricated into a monofilament which exhibits physical characteristics equivalent to or superior than gut sutures.
Claims26
A medical device fabricated totally or in part from a random polymer comprising from about 68 to about 75 weight percent glycolide, about 12 to about 17 weight percent epsilon-caprolactone, about 1 to about 19 weight percent trimethylene carbonate, and about 1 to about 19 weight percent lactide.
A method of suturing a wound comprising:
- a. providing a suture fabricated from a random polymer comprising from about 68 to about 75 weight percent glycolide, about 12 to about 17 weight percent epsilon-caprolactone, about 1 to about 19 weight percent trimethylene carbonate, and about 1 to about 19 weight percent lactide.and
- b. passing said needled suture through tissue to create wound closure.
A process for manufacturing a monofilament suture from a resin of a random copolymer, the random polymer comprising from about 68 to about 75 weight percent glycolide, about 12 to about 17 weight percent epsilon-caprolactone, about 1 to about 19 weight percent trimethylene carbonate, and about 1 to about 19 weight percent lactide., which comprises the operations of:
- a. extruding said resin at an extrusion temperature of from about 140° C. to about 180° C. to provide a monofilament;
- b. stretching the solidified monofilament at a stretch ratio of from about 8:1 to about 11:1 to provide a stretched monofilament.
A method of manufacturing a monofilament suture from a resin of a random copolymer, the random copolymer comprising caprolactone, trimethylene carbonate, lactide, and glycolide, which comprises:
- a) extruding the copolymer to provide a molten monofilament;
- b) quenching the molten monofilament to provide a solidified monfilament;
- c) drawing the solidified monofilament through an air oven maintained at a temperature of about 25° C. to about 35° C. at a draw ratio of about 6:1 to about 8:1;
- d) drawing the monofilament through an air oven maintained at a temperature of about 80° C. to about 100° C. at a draw ratio of about 1.2:1 to about 2.5:1;
- e) drawing the monofilament through an air oven maintained at a temperature of about 90° C. to about 110° C. at a draw ratio of about 0.85:1 to about 1.05:1;
- and
- f) annealing the monofilament.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.