Claims
- 1. An implantable medical article comprising a textile-based structure said structure comprising at least one bicomponent fiber, wherein the bicomponent fiber comprises a first component formed from a resorbable material and a second component formed from a fiber-forming polymer which is non-resorbable, wherein the melting point of the second component is the same as or less than the melting point of the first component.
- 2. An implantable medical article comprising a textile-based structure said structure comprising at least one bicomponent fiber, wherein the bicomponent fiber comprises a first polymer component formed from a resorbable material and a second component formed from a fiber-forming polymer which is non-resorbable wherein the polymers in said first and second components are oriented.
- 3. The implantable medical article according to claim 2, wherein the first and the second component of the bicomponent fiber are simultaneously oriented during or subsequent to co-extrusion.
- 4. The implantable medical article according to claim 3, wherein said second component is disposed within said first component.
- 5. The implantable medical article according to claim 3 wherein said second component is selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyamides, polyolefins, and segmented polyurethanes.
- 6. The implantable medical article according to claim 3 wherein said second component is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polybutyleneterephthalate and polyhexamethyleneterephthalate.
- 7. The implantable medical article according to claim 3, wherein said first component induces a biopositive response in vivo.
- 8. The implantable medical article according to claim 3 wherein said first component is selected from the group consisting of polyglycolides, polydioxanones, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polylactides, alginates, chitosans, collagens, polyalkylene oxalates, polyanhydrides, poly(glycolide-co-trimethylene carbonate), polyesteramides, and polydepsipeptides.
- 9. The implantable medical article according to claim 3 wherein said first component is a polyglycolide polymer or a polyglycolide-polylactide copolymer.
- 10. The implantable medical article according to claim 3 wherein at least one of said components further comprises at least one pharmaceutical agent.
- 11. The implantable medical article according to claim 3, wherein said first component is substantially free of cracks or delamination.
- 12. The implantable medical article according to claim 3 wherein said first component possesses a substantially uniform thickness along the axis of the fiber.
- 13. The implantable medical article according to claim 3 wherein a volume ratio of said first component to said second component is from about 1:10 to about 10:1.
- 14. The implantable medical article according to claim 3 wherein the first polymer component is a fiber-forming polymer.
- 15. The implantable medical article according to claim 3, wherein the volume ratio of said first component to said second component is substantially the same along the length of the fiber.
- 16. An implantable medical article comprising a textile-based structure said structure comprising at least one bicomponent fiber, wherein the bicomponent fiber is manufactured by coextrusion of a first resorbable polymer and a second fiber-forming polymer which is non-resorbable under conditions which form a bicomponent fiber wherein the second fiber-forming polymer is continuously disposed within the first polymer at a substantially constant volume ratio of said first polymer to said second polymer along the length of the bicomponent fiber.
- 17. An implantable medical article comprising a textile-based structure said structure comprising a bicomponent fiber produced by a process comprising simultaneously melt-extruding from a spinnerette in a sheath-core filament configuration, a first polymer component formed from a resorbable material and a second component formed from a fiber-forming polymer which is non-resorbable.
- 18. An implantable medical article comprising a textile-based structure said structure comprising a bicomponent fiber, wherein the bicomponent fiber comprises a first polymer component formed from a resorbable material and a second component formed from a fiber-forming polymer which is non-resorbable, wherein said bicomponent fiber is produced by a process comprising the steps of:(a) simultaneously solution-spinning from a spinnerette in a sheath-core filament configuration, a first solution comprising a first solvent and the first polymer component and a second solution comprising a second solvent and the second component, thereby forming a prefilament; and (b) removing said first and second solvents from said prefilament thereby forming a bicomponent fiber wherein said second component is substantially disposed within said first component.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a divisional of U.S. Application Ser. No. 08/995,039, filed Oct. 31, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,537, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/030,577, filed Nov. 12, 1996. The entire teachings of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.
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Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/030577 |
Nov 1996 |
US |