Claims
- 1. A process for producing a braided suture having an improved knot strength comprising coating a braided suture with a biocompatible polymer to produce a coated braided suture and heating the coated braided suture to a temperature sufficient to allow the biocompatible polymer to flow for a time ranging a from 20 minutes to 72 hours to allow the polymer to be redistributed into the interstices of the braided suture thereby providing a coated braided suture with an improved knot tensile strength.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the biocompatible polymer is a low molecular weight biocompatible polymer selected from the group consisting of aliphatic polyesters, polyoxalates, polyoxaesters and combinations thereof.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein the braided sutures is absorbable.
- 4. The process of claim wherein the absorbable suture is a homopolymer or copolymer of a monomer selected from the group consisting of glycolide, lactide, 1,4-dioxan-2-one, trimethylene carlionate, δ-valerolactone, ε-caprolactone, 1,4-dioxepan-2-one, 1,5-dioxepan-2-one, alkyl substituted derivatives of these compounds, cyclic dimers of these compounds and combinations of two or more thereof.
- 5. The process of claim 4 wherein the braided suture is a copolymer of glycolide and lactide.
- 6. The braided suture of claim 4 wherein the braided suture is a copolymer of ε-caprolactone and glycolide.
- 7. The process of claim 4, wherein the braided suture is a copolymer containing trimethylene carbonate and at least one other lactone monomer.
- 8. The process of claim 1, wherein the biocompatible polymer is a copolymer of ε-caprolactone and glycolide.
- 9. The process of claim 1, wherein the temperature to which the biocompatible polymer is heated is above 60° C.
- 10. The process of claim 9, wherein the temperature to which the biocompatible polymer is heated is less than 100° C. above the softening temperature of the biocompatible polymer.
- 11. The process of claim 1, wherein the coated braided suture heated for about 30 minutes to about 72 hours.
Parent Case Info
This application is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/159,025, filed Sep. 23, 1998, now abandoned, which claims the benefit of U.S. Ser. No. 60/061,721, filed Oct. 10, 1997.
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Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
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0 441 537 |
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0 839 542 |
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Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/061721 |
Oct 1997 |
US |