Ethicon, Gmbh

Other

Henry Pokropinski, Jr

Dennis D Jamiolkowski

Xintian Ming

Howard Scalzo

Alastair W Hunter

Vishvaroop Agarwal

Samsel K Labrecque

Jerry Fischer

Jerome A Fischer

Karl W Brennan

Huimin Wang

Stephen Rothenburger

A method of making a packaged antimicrobial suture having improved shelf life. The method comprising the steps of providing an inner package having a source of antimicrobial agent, providing an adsorbent material effective to adsorb a portion of the antimicrobial agent over time, positioning a suture within the inner package, the suture comprising one or more surfaces, covering the inner package with an outer package having an inner surface and subjecting the suture, the inner package and the inner surface of the outer package to time, temperature and pressure conditions sufficient to vapor transfer an effective amount of the antimicrobial agent from the antimicrobial agent source to the suture and the inner package, thereby substantially inhibiting bacterial colonization on the suture and the inner package, wherein the packaged antimicrobial suture exhibits improved shelf life. A packaged antimicrobial suture and a method of increasing the shelf life of a packaged antimicrobial medical device are also provided.

Packaged antimicrobial medical device having improved shelf life and method of preparing same

Method of making a packaged antimicrobial suture

A process for improving the knot tensile strength of a braided suture while maintaining its first throw holding characteristics includes the steps of applying a biocompatible co-polymer to the braided suture and then heating the suture to a temperature above the flow point of the co-polymer. An outer coat is applied to the suture after the heating step. The suture may be scoured with a solvent before the co-polymer is applied or the co-polymer may be applied simultaneously with the scouring step. The co-polymer preferably comprises one or more lactones, more preferably, &#x3b5;-caprolactone and glycolide. This process may be used with bioabsorbable sutures, such as those comprising filaments made of polyglycolide and polylactide.

Process for making sutures having improved knot tensile strength

The present invention provides a process and apparatus for coating sutures.

Process and apparatus for coating surgical sutures

A suture having a coating thereon of an ethylene-propylene copolymer, and a method of coating a suture which comprises the steps of coating the surface of the suture with an effective amount of a solution of ethylene-propylene copolymer in an organic solvent, and then removing the solvent from the coated suture. The copolymer preferably has an average molecular weight of from about 25,000 to about 500,000 g/mole, and a mole percentage of about 55 to 70 percent ethylene and about 30 to 45 percent propylene. The coating provides an alternative to silicone, which has previously been used as a coating for sutures, and exhibits excellent performance properties, such as tactile smoothness, pliability, and knot tiedown performance.

Ethylene-propylene coatings for sutures

A surgical suture having a coating thereon of a block poly(ether-co-amide), and a method for improving the knot tiedown performance of a suture by first coating a block poly(ether-co-amide) solution of a block poly(ether-co-amide) onto the surface of the suture and then removing the solvent from the coated suture.

Suture coated with a polyetheramide

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South River, NJ, United States of America

Henry Pokropinski, Jr