High strength suture with absorbable core

• US 20050149119A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: DePuy Mitek Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Jamiolkowski, Dennis D., Di Luccio, Robert C., Lawler, Terry E., Koyfman, Ilya
• Granted Patent: US 7,329,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/228
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06185 hollow or tubular
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 17/04 Non-resorbable materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 17/105 Polyesters not covered by A61L17/12
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 17/12 Homopolymers or copolymers of glycolic acid or lactic acid
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 17/145 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: D04C 1/12 Cords, lines, or tows
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/025 comprising high modulus, or high tenacity, polymer filaments or fibres, e.g. liquid-crystal polymers
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2201/102 including a core
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2201/1036 nine or more strands respectively forming multiple layers
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2201/1096 braided
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2205/2014 High performance polyolefins, e.g. Dyneema or Spectra
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2801/10 Smallest filamentary entity of a rope or strand, i.e. wire, filament, fiber or yarn
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2509/04 Sutures

Abstract

A novel high tensile strength semi-absorbable composite suture with minimized non-absorbable mass. The suture has a core made from a bioabsorbable polymer. The core is covered by a braided sheath. The braided sheath is made from an absorbable yarn and a bioabsorbable yarn. The bioabsorbable yarn is made from a least one filament of a bioabsorbable polymer. The nonabsorbable yarn is made from at least one filament of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

Claims

1. A surgical suture, comprising:

an inner core comprising at least one yarn comprised of at least one fiber, said fiber comprising a bioabsorbable polymer; and

,

an outer braided sheath comprising a second yarn comprised of at least one nonabsorbable fiber and a third yarn comprising at least one bioabsorbable fiber, wherein the first and second yarns are in intertwining contact.

2. The surgical suture of claim 1, wherein the bioabsorbable first and bioabsorbable second yarns comprise a polymer prepared from lactone monomers selected from the group consisting of p-dioxanone, ε

-caprolactone, glycolide, L(−

)-lactide, D(+)-lactide, meso-lactide, trimethylene carbonate, and combinations thereof.

3. The surgical suture of claim 1, wherein the nonabsorbable fiber comprises ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

4. The suture of claim 1, wherein the suture comprises about 55 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of bioabsorbable polymer.

5. The suture of claim 2, wherein the bioabsorbable yarns comprise polydioxanone.

6. The suture of claim 1, wherein the bioabsorbable first and second yarns comprise a pharmaceutical composition.

7. The suture of claim 6 wherein the first and second yarns comprise a pharmaceutical composition selected from the group consisting of analgesics, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and pain killers.

8. The suture of claim 1 wherein the polyethylene yarn comprises an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene having a weight average molecular weight of about 500,000 to about 5,000,000 g/mole.

9. The suture of claim 1, additionally comprising a coating.

10. The suture of claim 1 additionally comprising a surgical needle mounted to one end.

20. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising a surgical needle mounted to one end of the suture.

21. The suture of claim 1, wherein the first and second yarns additionally comprise a bioceramic material.

22. The suture of claim 1, wherein the first and second yarns comprise a material selected from the group consisting of tricalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite.

26. The suture of claim 5 wherein the yarn comprises a filament having a denier greater than 3 denier per filament.

27. The suture of claim 5 wherein the yarn comprises a filament having a denier greater than 12 denier per filament without substantial adverse effect to suture handling and stiffness when compared to the commercially available sutures prepared from ultra high molecular weight polyethylene/PET.

28. The suture of claim 5 wherein the yarn comprises a filament having a denier greater than 12 denier per filament without substantial adverse effect to suture handling and stiffness when compared to the sutures prepared from polyethylene terephthalate with a denier per filament less than 3.

11. A method of approximating tissue, comprising:

providing a suture, said suture comprising;

an inner core comprising at least one yarn comprised of at least one fiber, said fiber comprising a bioabsorbable polymer; and

,

an outer braided sheath comprising a second yarn comprised of at least one nonabsorbable fiber and a third yarn comprising at least one bioabsorbable fiber, wherein the first and second yarns are in intertwining contact

stitching said suture through tissue; and

,

tying a knot in the suture.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the bioabsorbable first and bioabsorbable second yarns comprise a polymer prepared from lactone monomers selected from the group consisting of p-dioxanone, ε

-caprolactone, glycolide, L(−

)-lactide, D(+)-lactide, meso-lactide, trimethylene carbonate, and combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the nonabsorbable fiber comprises ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the suture comprises about 55 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of bioabsorbable polymer.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the yarns comprises polydioxanone.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the bioabsorbable first and second yarns comprise a pharmaceutical composition.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first and second yarns comprise a pharmaceutical composition selected from the group consisting of analgesics, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and pain killers.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the polyethylene yarn comprises an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene having a molecular weight of about 500,000 to about 5,000,000 g/mole.

19. The method of claim 11, additionally comprising a coating on the suture.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second yarns additionally comprise a bioceramic material.

24. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second yarns comprise a material selected from the group consisting of tricalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite.

25. A method of reducing the knot profile of a knot in a surgical suture, comprising:

providing a suture, said suture comprising;

an inner core comprising at least one yarn comprised of at least one fiber, said fiber comprising a bioabsorbable polymer; and

,

an outer braided sheath comprising a second yarn comprised of at least one nonabsorbable fiber and a third yarn comprising at least one bioabsorbable fiber, wherein the first and second yarns are in intertwining contact

stitching said suture through tissue;

tying a knot in the suture, said knot having a knot profile; and

,

maintaining the knot in the suture in vivo for a sufficient period of time to effectively reduce the knot profile.