Biocompatible medical devices
AssigneeUnited States Surgical Corporation
InventorElliott A. Gruskin
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Abstract
Biocompatible medical devices, including sutures, are disclosed which are produced from polyesters formed from lactide and glycolide copolymers. In a preferred mode of the invention, the biocompatible medical devices are absorbable.
Claims12
A medical device or article comprising a synthetic polymer which is biocompatible, wherein the synthetic polymer comprises a lactic acid and glycolic acid ester copolymer having the following formula:
- n is the total number of Lactate units plus the total number of Glycolate units divided by 2;
- the positions of Lactate and Glycolate within each unit of the formula are independently interchangeable;
- and the value of n and the position of Lactate and Glycolate within each unit of the formula is predetermined.
A suture substantially as shown in FIG. 2, comprising a synthetic polymer which is biocompatible, wherein the synthetic polymer comprises a lactic acid and glycolic acid ester copolymer having the following formula:
- n is the total number of Lactate units plus the total number of Glycolate units divided by 2;
- the positions of Lactate and Glycolate within each unit of the formula are independently interchangeable;
- and the value of n and the position of Lactate and Glycolate within each unit of the formula is predetermined.
A process for the manufacture of monofilament sutures comprising:
- melt extruding polyester resin to provide a monofilament;
- stretching the solidified monofilament at a temperature above ambient in water or other suitable liquid or gaseous medium;
- to provide a stretched monofilament;
- wherein the polyester resin is comprised of a synthetic polymer which is bioresorbable, wherein the synthetic polymer comprises a lactic acid and glycolic acid polyester copolymer in which each successive lactic acid and glycolic acid monomeric unit in the polyester copolymer has been individually and specifically determined.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.