Biomedical polymers absorbable sutures

Loh IH, Lin HL, Chu CC. Plasma surface modification of synthetic absorbable sutures. In Proceedings, Clemson University Conference on Medical Textiles and Biomedical Polymers and Materials 1996. 

The degradation time of PLLA is much slower than that of PDLLA, requiring more than 2 years to be completely absorbed. Copolymers of L-lactide and DL-lactide have been prepared to disrupt the crystallinity of L-lactide and accelerate the degradation process. The final crystallinity and mechanical properties of the polymer depend on the stereochemistry of the polymer backbone. PLA has a number of biomedical applications, such as sutures, stents, dialysis media, and drug delivery devices. " °... 

PLA have been used in films for packaging, thermoformed and injection moulded disposable rigid containers (for example, food containers and trays), blown flasks and bottles, filaments, and biomedical uses (capsules for drug delivery, fibers for tissues and absorbable/degradable surgical sutures, and internal bone fixation implants). It is a polymer with consolidated use in the medical area, due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability in the human body. PLA-based resins may be modified to adapt to many applications, from disposable food-service items to sheet extrusion, and coating for paper [40]. 

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