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AssigneeTepha, Inc.
InventorsDavid P. Martin, Said Rizk, Jon I. Montcrieff, Dennis W. Connelly
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Biocompatible coatings and spin finishes that can be applied to polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymers, and medical devices made from PHA polymers, have been developed. The coatings impart good lubricity to PHA polymers, particularly to fibers and braids made from these materials, making the coatings ideal for use on medical devices such as PHA braided sutures. The spin finishes can be applied to PHA fibers to facilitate their manufacture, and also for their conversion to other products, including medical textiles. The spin finishes serve to protect multifilament fiber bundles, and keep them intact following extrusion, and also to impart lubricity to the fiber bundles and monofilament fibers so that they are not damaged in subsequent processing steps particularly in textile processing. The coating reduces tissue drag of, for example, braided sutures.
A monofilament fiber or multifilament yarn comprising poly-4-hydroxybutrate or a copolymer thereof, coated with a polyethylene glycol sorbitan monolaurate spin finish wherein the spin finish is removed using a scouring process leaving a residual level of polyethylene glycol sorbitan monolaurate of less than 0.5 weight percent on the monofilament fiber or multifilament yarn.
A braided monofilament fiber or multifilament yarn, comprising filaments of poly-4-hydroxybutrate or a copolymer thereof coated with a coating material selected from the group consisting of polymers or oligomers of propylene oxide, polyvinyl alcohol, and combinations thereof, wherein the filament has a tenacity greater than 6.5 grams per denier and the coating material is present at a coating weight between 0.1 wt % and 10 wt %.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.