Surgical suture materials with antimicrobial properties

Methods and manufacturing conditions were developed for giving ion-exchange properties to PCA fibres by graft polymerization of methacrylic acid to PCA fibres and styrene to PP fibres followed by sulfurization of the graft polystyrene. Antimicrobial surgical suture materials with fixation of antibiotics on the modified sutures by the ion-exchange mechanism were obtained. It was found that the duration and effectiveness of the antimicrobial action of the sutures are determined by the amount of antibiotic sorbed and the ionic bond strength of the latter with the ion-exchange groups in the sutures. The effect of the conditions of modification and methods of sterilization on the physicomechanical properties of the sutures was investigated. Antimicrobial surgical PCA sutures with the gentamycin Caprogent are recommended for use in general clinical practice and are being manufactured.