Synthetic absorbable surgical devices of poly(alkylene oxalates)

• US 4,140,678 A
• Filed: 06/13/1977
• Issued: 02/20/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shalaby, Shalaby W., Damiolkowski, Dennis D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phynes, Lucille M.
• Application Number:
  US05/806,048
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 260/75 R, 128/335.5
• US Class Current: 525/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 17/105 Polyesters not covered by A61L17/12
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/18 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 63/16 Dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/00 Compositions of polyesters obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic ester link in the main chain of polyester-amides C08L77/12; of polyester-imides C08L79/08; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/625 derived from hydroxy-carboxylic acids, e.g. lactones
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/84 from copolyesters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/926 Synthetic

Abstract

Synthetic filaments composed of homopolymers and copolymers of poly(alkylene oxalates) are absorbable in animal tissue with minimal adverse tissue reaction. Polymers prepared by reacting a dialkyl oxalate with an alkylene diol are melt spun and drawn to obtain oriented fibers having good tensile properties and a high level of flexibility and softness. The filaments are particularly useful in the preparation of surgical prosthesis comprising woven or knitted fabrics and meshes. Other absorbable surgical devices including films and molded items may also be prepared from the disclosed polymer.

Claims

1. A sterile absorbable surgical fiber comprising a polymer having a major portion of units of the formula ##STR3## wherein R is a C₃ to C₁₆ alkylene and n is the degree of polymerization resulting in a fiber-forming polymer having an inherent viscosity of at least about 0.4 as determined at 25°

C. on a 0.1 percent solution of polymer in chloroform or hexafluoroisopropanol.

2. A fiber of claim 1 further characterized by a straight tensile strength of at least 30,000 psi and a Young'"'"'s modulus of less than about 600,000 psi.

3. A fiber of claim 2 wherein R is a C₄ to C₁₀ alkylene.

4. A fiber of claim 1 wherein said polymer is a copolymer of C₃ to C₁₆ alkylene oxalate with up to about 50 percent by weight of at least one other monomer copolymerizable therewith to form an absorbable polymer.

5. A fiber of claim 4 wherein said other monomer is lactide, glycolide or mixtures thereof.

6. A fiber of claim 1 comprising poly(tetramethylene oxalate).

7. A fiber of claim 1 comprising poly(hexamethylene oxalate).

8. A fiber of claim 1 comprising poly(octamethylene oxalate).

9. A fiber of claim 1 comprising poly(decamethylene oxalate).

10. A fiber of claim 1 comprising a major proportion of said polymer and a minor proportion of at least one other synthetic absorbable polymer.

11. A fiber of claim 10 wherein said other synthetic absorbable polymer is selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and copolymers of lactide and glycolide.