SURFACE MODIFICATION OF ABSORBABLE SUTURE MATERIALS

THE BASIC FUNCTION OF A SURGICAL SUTURE IS TO MAINTAIN TISSUE APPROXIMATION UNTIL THE WOUND HEALS. IDEALLY, UPON HEALING, THE SUTURE SHOULD DISAPPEAR, LEAVING NO TRACE OF ITS PRIOR EXISTENCE AND THUS MINIMIZING UNDESIRABLE FOREIGN BODY REACTIONS. RECENTLY, SEVERAL SYNTHETIC ABSORBABLE POLYMERIC SUTURE MATERIALS WERE DEVELOPED THAT DEMONSTRATED SATISFACTION FOR MOST OF THE WOUND CLOSURE REQUIREMENTS. HOWEVER, WHEN USED IN THE MORE DEMANDING ORTHOPEDIC, CARDIOVASCULAR, NEUROLOGICAL, UROLOGICAL, AND ABDOMINAL APPLICATIONS, THESE SYNTHETIC MATERIALS LOSE THEIR STRENGTH PREMATURELY BEFORE COMPLETE SURGICAL HEALING IS ACHIEVED. THEREFORE, A BETTER SOLUTION IS NECESSARY TO PROLONG THE USEFUL LIFETIME OF THESE BIOABSORBABLE SUTURE MATERIALS SO THAT MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF SURGICAL DEVICES CAN BE MADE FROM THESE SYNTHETIC BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS FOR VARIOUS ASPECTS OF SURGERY. ADVANCED SURFACE TECHNOLOGY, INC., PLANS A SURFACE MODIFICATION PROCESS OF COMMERCIAL SYNTHETIC ABSORBABLE SUTURE MATERIALS TO ENHANCE THEIR USEFULNESS IN DEMANDING SITUATIONS. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATING THE APPLICATION OF THIS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TO WOUND CLOSURE BIOMATERIALS, THE SAME TECHNOLOGY WILL BE EXTENDED TO OTHER SURGICAL PRODUCTS FOR IMPROVING THEIR PERFORMANCE.