A method of preparing a suture for use in medical treatment involves treating a surface of the suture, applying a coating to the suture, and treating the coating to cause adhesion of the coating to the suture.

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.

There is provided a product comprising a suture thread which, prior to being used to form a surgical suture, is in a stressed state which gives the suture thread a tendency to undergo lengthwise viscoelastic contraction. The suture thread undergoes viscoelastic contraction when in use as a surgical suture and this may promote wound healing to a greater extent than a conventional suture thread which does not undergo viscoelastic contraction.

The present invention provides polypeptides comprising or consisting of an amino acid sequence derived from collagen type VI or a fragment, variant, fusion or derivative thereof, or a fusion of said fragment, variant of derivative thereof, wherein the polypeptide, fragment, variant, fusion or derivative is capable of killing or attenuating the growth of microorganisms. Related aspects of the invention provide corresponding isolated nucleic acid molecules, vectors and host cells for making the same. Additionally provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a polypeptide of the invention, as well as methods of use of the same in the treatment and/or prevention of microbial infections and in wound care. Also provided are a method of killing microorganisms in vitro and a medical device associated with the pharmaceutical composition.

Absorbable composite medical devices such as surgical meshes and braided sutures, which display two or more absorption/biodegradation and breaking strength retention profiles and exhibit unique properties in different clinical settings, are made using combinations of at least two types of yarns having distinctly different physicochemical and biological properties and incorporate in the subject construct special designs to provide a range of unique properties as clinically useful implants.

The disclosure relates to a method of making a bioceramic coating on a fibrous article for use in a medical implant, comprising steps of providing an article comprising fibers made from a biocompatible, non-biodegradable polymer; coating at least the fibers that will be in contact with bone upon use as an implant with a solution of a coating polymer to result in coated fibers having a coating polymer layer; treating the coated fibers with a dispersion of bioactive ceramic particles 0.01-10.Math. in a treating solvent comprising a solvent for the coating polymer in at least one step; and substantially removing the treating solvent; to result in the particles being partly embedded in the coating polymer layer of the coated fibers. The disclosed methods enable a relatively simple way of providing a complex shaped article like a fibrous article with a bioceramic coating, to result in a modified surface that shows bioactivity, applying biocompatible compounds and mild conditions. The method can be used to make a polyester fibrous article having a coating with bioactive inorganic particles like calcium phosphates to enhance bone growth on the article after implantation. The disclosure also concerns a fibrous article showing osteoconductive properties, as obtainable with or obtained by said methods, and use of these articles as a component of a medical implant, especially of permanent high-strength orthopedic implants

Disclosed herein are compositions to use in biofouling-resistant coatings, biofouling-resistant coatings, methods of making biofouling-resistant coatings, biofouling-resistant devices, and methods of making biofouling-resistant devices.

A braided structure that includes a core and a sheath is provided. The core includes a yarn formed at least in part from an aromatic polymer (e.g., an aromatic polyester/liquid crystalline polymer or an aramid polymer), and the sheath, which includes a plurality of ultra high molecular weight polyolefin yarns, is braided around the core. The sheath has an overall diameter ranging from about 60 micrometers to about 650 micrometers. Despite its small diameter, the braided structure can be creep resistant and abrasion resistant while at the same time exhibiting low elongation, a high load at break, and high stiffness. The braided structure can be used in medical applications such as sutures, load bearing orthopedic applications, artificial tendons/ligaments, fixation devices, actuation cables, components for tissue repair, etc.

The present invention provides polypeptides comprising or consisting of an amino acid sequence derived from collagen type VI or a fragment, variant, fusion or derivative thereof, or a fusion of said fragment, variant of derivative thereof, wherein the polypeptide, fragment, variant, fusion or derivative is capable of killing or attenuating the growth of microorganisms. Related aspects of the invention provide corresponding isolated nucleic acid molecules, vectors and host cells for making the same. Additionally provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a polypeptide of the invention, as well as methods of use of the same in the treatment and/or prevention of microbial infections and in wound care. Also provided are a method of killing microorganisms in vitro and a medical device associated with the pharmaceutical composition.

The technology concerns a construct comprising at least one tissular region and at least one polymeric region for use as an implant.