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EP0626404A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Absorbable block copolymers and surgical articles fabricated therefrom

Assignee: United States Surgical Corp
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Filing: 1994-05-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-05-25
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Abstract

Abstract Block copolymers wherein one of the blocks is made from hard phase forming monomers and another of the blocks is made from soft phase forming monomers copolymerized with randomly intermingled units of other soft phase forming monomers. The copolymers are useful in forming surgical articles, including both monofilament and multifilament sutures.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mark S. Roby
  • 👤 Cheng-Kung Liu
  • 👤 Steven L. Bennett

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 15:27
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61L; A61L17/00; A61L17/06; A61L17/10; A61L17/12; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/04; A61B17/06; A61B17/06166; C; C08; C08G; C08G63/00; C08G63/66; C08G63/664; A61B2017/00004

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 28 words
A block copolymer comprising: a) glycolic acid ester units as one of said blocks, and b) another of said blocks comprising 1,4 dioxane-2-one randomly polymerized with 1,3 dioxane-2-one.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 51 words
The block copolymer of claim 1, wherein glycolic acid ester units comprise from about 50 to about 80 percent by weight of said block copolymer and said blocks comprising random copolymers of 1,4 dioxane-2-one and 1,3 dioxane-2-one comprise from about 20 to about 50 percent by weight of said block copolymer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 43 words
The block copolymer of claim 1 or 2, wherein said blocks comprising random copolymers of 1,4 dioxane-2-one and 1,3 dioxane-2-one are formed from the random polymerization of about 35 percent by weight of 1,4 dioxane-2-one and about 65 percent by weight 1,3 dioxane-2-one.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 26 words
The block copolymer of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein component (a) comprises a predominant amount of glycolic acid ester units, the remainder being 1,4 dioxane-2-one.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 40 words
The block copolymer of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said block copolymer is a tri-block copolymer comprising: a) glycolic acid ester units as end blocks, and b) a center block comprising 1,4 dioxane-2-one randomly polymerized with 1,3 dioxane-2-one.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 24 words
The tri-block copolymer of claim 5, wherein said end blocks comprise a predominant amount of glycolic acid ester units, the remainder being 1,4 dioxane-2-one.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 38 words
The tri-block copolymer of claim 5 or 6, wherein said center block is formed from the random polymerization of about 35 percent of 1,4 dioxane-2-one and about 65 percent of 1,3 dioxane-2-one, by weight of said center block.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
A surgical article formed totally or in part from the block copolymer of any one of the preceding claims.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 16 words
The surgical article of claim 8, wherein said surgical article further comprises a medico-surgical useful substance.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 46 words
A method of making a copolymer comprising the steps of: a) adding 1,4 dioxane-2-one and 1,3 dioxane-2-one; b) polymerizing component (a) to the point where all the 1,3 dioxane-2-one is incorporated in a polymer but residual 1,4 dioxane-2-one monomer remains; c) adding glycolide; and d) polymerizing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of removing residual monomer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 153 words
A process for manufacturing a monofilament suture from a resin of a block copolymer, said block copolymer comprising a proportion of glycolic acid ester units as one of said blocks, and another of said blocks comprising random copolymers of 1,4 dioxane-2-one and 1,3 dioxane-2-one, which comprises the operations of: a) extruding said resin at an extrusion temperature of from about 170°C to about 250°C to provide a monofilament; b) stretching the solidified monofilament at a stretch ratio of from about 3:1 to about 10:1 to provide a stretched monofilament; c) freezing said stretched monofilament at a temperature of from about -15°C to about 0°C; and d) annealing said stretched monofilament at a temperature of from about 60°C to about 130°C to provide a finished suture, the annealing resulting in shrinkage of the monofilament for a recovery to within about 80 to about 97 percent of the length of the monofilament prior to annealing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 46 words
A monofilament suture exhibiting the following properties for a size 3/0 suture: Maximum 0-5% Strain Energy, kg-mm - about 2.62 Maxmimum 0-10% Strain Energy, kg-mm - about 7.4 Knot Pull, kg - about 2 to about 3 Straight Pull, kg - about 3 to about 5

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