Ethicon, Gmbh

David J Lennard

Edgar V Menezes

Robert Lilenfeld

We have discovered a process for producing a polypropylene suture including the steps of (a) extruding melted polypropylene resin through an orifice and rapidly quenching the melted polypropylene resin to produce a filament; (b) drawing the filament in the range of from about 5.times. to about 7.5.times. to produce a singly drawn filament; (c) drawing the singly drawn filament in the range of form about 1.times. to about 2.5.times. in a second heated zone being maintained at a temperature in the range of from about 30.degree. C. to about 160.degree. C., to form a doubly drawn filament; (d) shrinking the doubly drawn filament in the range of from about 0.75 percent to about 0.95 percent, in a second heated zone being maintained at a temperature in the range of from about 100.degree. C. to about 180.degree. C., to form a polypropylene suture.

In-line annealing of sutures

Polypropylene surgical monofilaments sutures of improved compliance are made by drawing polypropylene monofilament to a greater extent than its natural draw ratio, followed by annealing with shrinkage.

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Somerville, NJ, United States of America

David J Lennard