A suture to be used in producing a medical instrument provided with a sutured site such as a stent graft, an artificial blood vessel or an artificial heart valve, has two components, i.e., a high melting-point component and a low-melting point component, the difference between the melting points of components being 30 C. or more and the low-melting point component is exposed on the suture surface entirely along the length direction. When a medical material formed of a fabric or a film is sutured or knotted with the suture and then the suture site is heated at such a temperature not allowing the high-melting point component but the low-melting point component alone to melt, the sutured site is fused and fixed. Thus, a knot or a seam, which sustains the fiber shape and strength and never becomes loose, can be formed.

A suture to be used in producing a medical instrument provided with a sutured site such as a stent graft, an artificial blood vessel or an artificial heart valve, has two components, i.e., a high melting-point component and a low-melting point component, the difference between the melting points of components being 30 C. or more and the low-melting point component is exposed on the suture surface entirely along the length direction. When a medical material formed of a fabric or a film is sutured or knotted with the suture and then the suture site is heated at such a temperature not allowing the high-melting point component but the low-melting point component alone to melt, the sutured site is fused and fixed. Thus, a knot or a seam, which sustains the fiber shape and strength and never becomes loose, can be formed.

A suture to be used in producing a medical instrument provided with a sutured site such as a stent graft, an artificial blood vessel or an artificial heart valve, has two components, i.e., a high melting-point component and a low-melting point component, the difference between the melting points of components being 30 C. or more and the low-melting point component is exposed on the suture surface entirely along the length direction. When a medical material formed of a fabric or a film is sutured or knotted with the suture and then the suture site is heated at such a temperature not allowing the high-melting point component but the low-melting point component alone to melt, the sutured site is fused and fixed. Thus, a knot or a seam, which sustains the fiber shape and strength and never becomes loose, can be formed.

Disclosed is a joining element (10), especially a suture material for surgical use. The joining element (10) is composed of a first material (12) that is essentially rigid during impingement by a relatively short-lasting tensile load on opposite sides as well as a second material (11) which is connected to the first material. The second material is substantially rigid during impingement by said tensile load on opposite sides while contracting slowly during a second period of time that is longer than the first period of time.

Disclosed is a joining element (10), especially a suture material for surgical use. The joining element (10) is composed of a first material (12) that is essentially rigid during impingement by a relatively short-lasting tensile load on opposite sides as well as a second material (11) which is connected to the first material. The second material is substantially rigid during impingement by said tensile load on opposite sides while contracting slowly during a second period of time that is longer than the first period of time.

The present invention provides threads of hyaluronic acid, and/or derivatives thereof, methods of making thereof and uses thereof, for example, in aesthetic applications (e.g., dermal fillers), surgery (sutures), drug delivery, etc.

Novel surgical sutures and novel medical devices made from novel semi-crystalline, glycolide-rich A-B-A triblock copolymers of glycolide and lactide, wherein said B-segment is a fully amorphous random copolymer of glycolide and lactide, for long term medical applications are disclosed. The novel polymer compositions are useful for long term absorbable surgical sutures, meshes and other medical devices, especially for patients with compromised healing. The novel sutures have improved properties and improved breaking strength retention, while still substantially absorbing within about a 120-day period post-implantation.

An antimicrobial suture comprising a filament and taurolidine.

A staple cartridge assembly comprising a tissue thickness compensator is disclosed. The tissue thickness compensator comprises a first fibrous, woven material and a second fibrous, woven material. The first fibrous, woven material comprises a density which is different than the density of the second fibrous, woven material. The tissue thickness compensator is configured to expand upon contact with a fluid in order to apply a compressive force to tissue captured within staples.

The subject invention provides materials methods for reducing infections in subjects. The materials methods utilize chlorhexidine, which has been found to be surprisingly non-toxic. The lack of toxicity facilitates the use of chlorhexidine in contexts that were not previously thought to be possible.