Surgical mesh

Abstract

A method for creating a surgical mesh includes heat treating a plurality of fibers; knitting the plurality of fibers into a mesh; and heat treating the mesh by applying heat at a temperature that falls within a range of 65 degrees Celsius to 110 degrees Celsius while subjecting the mesh to a tension that falls in a range of 4.0 Newtons per centimeter (N/cm) to 32.0 N/cm for a period of time that falls in a range of 1 hour to 9 hours.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for creating a surgical mesh, the method comprising:
 heat treating a mesh by applying heat at a temperature between 60% and 100% of a melting point in Celsius of a material out of which the mesh is made, while subjecting the mesh to a tension between 4.0 Newtons per centimeter (N/cm) to 32.0 N/cm for a period of time.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh has a plurality of pores, each of which is large enough to circumscribe a circle that is at least 800 micrometers in diameter. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises a hydrolytically-degradable polymer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the period of time is between 1 hour and 9 hours. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises poly-p-dioxanone (PDO). 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the temperature is between 65 degrees Celsius and 85 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature is between 65 degrees Celsius and 85 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises a plurality of fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of fibers comprise monofilament fibers. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of fibers are heat treated. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, prior to the heat treating the mesh step, forming the plurality of fibers into the mesh. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising, prior to the forming step, heat treating the plurality of fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the heat treating the plurality of fibers step comprises subjecting each of the plurality of fibers to a tension between 0.5 Newtons and 6.0 Newtons. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the forming step comprises knitting, weaving, or spinning. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat treating the mesh step comprises applying heat to the mesh at a temperature between 65 degrees Celsius and 110 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh after the heat treating the mesh step has a basis weight between 30 grams per square meter and 140 grams per square meter. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh is subjected to the tension over a surface to shape the mesh into a three-dimensional form. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh is capable of fully degrading under physiological conditions within one year. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh has a thickness of between 0.5 mm and 1 mm.