Biocompatible and Resorbable Polymeric Materials for Surgical Sutures

Abstract

As implants in human body, sutures are one of the largest groups of materials and have been in use for many centuries. Along with the development of the synthetic resorbable polymers, i.e. poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) in the early 1970s, a new research direction has opened on biocompatible rebsorbable polymers for sutures. This article reviews some of the available information with regard to developments on chemistry, properties, biocompatibility and biodegradability, and performance of resorbable polymeric sutures.