Wound closure material

Abstract

Articles are provided having no orientation or a multi-directional orientation. Such articles may be in the form of films, ribbons, sheets, and/or tapes and may be utilized as buttresses with a surgical stapling apparatus or as reinforcing means for suture lines. The articles may be produced with etchings on at least a part of a surface of the article.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 obtaining a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of glycolic acid, lactic acid, glycolide, lactide, dioxanone, trimethylene carbonate, caprolactone, and combinations thereof;   forming the polymeric material into an article that does not possess orientation in a single direction;   etching a pattern on at least a portion of a surface of the article; and   recovering the article possessing etched portions on a surface thereof.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a copolymer including glycolide in amounts from about 60% to about 75% by weight of the copolymer and trimethylene carbonate in amounts from about 25% to about 40% by weight of the copolymer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a copolymer including glycolide in amounts from about 55% to about 65% by weight of the copolymer, dioxanone in amounts from about 10% to about 18% by weight of the copolymer, and trimethylene carbonate in amounts from about 17% to about 35% by weight of the copolymer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a copolymer including caprolactone in amounts from about 14% to about 20% by weight of the copolymer, lactide in amounts from about 4% to about 10% by weight of the copolymer, trimethylene carbonate in amounts from about 4% to about 10% by weight of the copolymer, and glycolide in amounts from about 60% to about 78% by weight of the copolymer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein forming the polymeric material into an article comprises forming an article selected from the group consisting of ribbons, tapes, sheets, and films. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the article possesses a thickness of from about 0.0005 inches to about 0.014 inches. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the article possesses a thickness of from about 0.002 inches to about 0.005 inches. 
     
     
         23 . A surgical stapler buttress comprising the article produced by the method of  claim 16 . 
     
     
         24 . A surgical stapling apparatus comprising:
 a staple cartridge containing at least one staple;   an anvil having a staple forming surface; and   a buttress positioned adjacent the anvil or the cartridge, the buttress comprising an article produced by the method of  claim 16 .   
     
     
         25 . A method of sealing a wound comprising:
 enclosing tissue between a cartridge and an anvil of a surgical stapling apparatus, one of the cartridge or anvil having a buttress positioned adjacent thereto, wherein the buttress comprises an article produced by the method of  claim 16 ; and   ejecting staples from said cartridge into un-etched portions of the buttress to secure the buttress to the tissue.