Lactide-containing polymer and medical material

A process for producing a medical material comprising reducing a lactide content to not more than 4,000 ppm by treating a lactide-containing polymer by a pressure-reducing step during polymerization.

A method for adjusting retention of strength of a medical material, wherein the medical material comprises a lactide-containing polymer, the method comprising adjusting a lactide content to not more than 4,000 ppm by treating the lactide-containing polymer by a pressure-reducing step during polymerization.

A medical material comprising a lactide-containing polymer having weight-average molecular weight measured by GPC of less than 400,000, and having a lactide content of not more than 4,000 ppm, wherein the medical material is produced by a process comprising reducing a lactide content to not more than 4,000 ppm by vacuum thermodrying the lactide-containing polymer at a pressure of about 1-10 mm Hg for about 10-20 hours at a temperature of about 120° C.

A medical material comprising a lactide-containing polymer having weight-average molecular weight measured by GPC of less than 400,000, and having a lactide content of not more than 4,000 ppm, wherein the medical material is produced by a process comprising reducing a lactide content to not more than 4,000 ppm by washing the lactide-containing polymer with a solvent, wherein washing with a solvent comprises subjecting the lactide-containing polymer to Soxhlet extraction for 5 to 12 hours.