REINFORCED POLY(L-LACTIC ACID) FIBERS AS SUTURE MATERIAL

In this study, reinforced poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) fibers made by a dry-spinning/hot-drawing process were evaluated for use as a suture, T he initial tensile strength of the PLLA fibers was lower than the init ial tensile strength of the commercially available sutures: PDS, Vicry lTM silk, and EthilonTM. However, after 12 weeks immersion in a phosph ate saline buffer at 37 degrees C, PDS sutures have lower tensile stre ngth than PLLA sutures and the tensile strength of VicrylTM was unmeas urable because of fragmentation, Initially, PLLA fibers disintegrated into fibrils during degradation triggering an inflammatory response co mparable to degradable multifilament sutures, However, the intensity o f the inflammatory response against the PLLA fibers decreased and afte r 80 weeks implantation in the muscle layer of the abdominal wall of r ats it was comparable to the one against EthilonTM. The inflammatory r esponse against EthilonTM, which is considered to be nondegradable, in creased in the same period, probably due to the change in shape, In pr actice, the handling characteristics of PLLA sutures are superior to t he monofilament sutures like PDS and EthilonTM and comparable with the multifilament sutures like VicrylTM and silk, The knot security of PL LA sutures are expected to be better than the knot security of the mon ofilament sutures, but this remains to be investigated. It is conclude d that dry-spun/hot-drawn (reinforced) PLLA fibers have the potential for use as longterm degradable suture material. (C) 1995 John Wiley an d Sons, Inc.