title: Current manufacturing processes of drug-eluting sutures.
abstract: Drug-eluting sutures represent the next generation of surgical sutures since they fulfill their mechanical functions but also deliver the drug in their vicinity after implantation. These implants are produced by a variety of manufacturing processes. Drug-eluting sutures represent the next generation of surgical sutures since they fulfill their mechanical functions but also deliver the drug in their vicinity after implantation. These implants are produced by a variety of manufacturing processes. Two general approaches can be followed: (i) the ones that add the API into the material during the manufacturing process of the suture and (ii) the ones that load the API to an already manufactured suture. Areas covered: This review provides an overview of the current manufacturing processes for drug-eluting suture production and discusses their benefits and drawbacks depending on the type of drugs. The mechanical properties and the drug delivery profile of drug-eluting sutures are highlighted since these implants must fulfill both criteria. Expert opinion: For limited drug contents, melt extrusion and electrospinning are the emerging processes since the drug is added during the suture manufacture process. Advantageously, the drug release profile can be tuned by controlling the processing parameters specific to each process and the composition of the drug-containing polymer. If high drug content is targeted, the coating or grafting of a drug layer on a pre-manufactured suture allows for preservation of the tensile strength requirements of the suture.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemistry, Centre for Education and Research on Macromolecules (CERM) , University of Liège , Liège , Belgium.|b Department of Chemistry , Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, UMR 5255 CNRS, Université Bordeaux, Groupe Spectroscopie Moléculaire , Talence Cedex , France.
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Champeau
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemistry, Centre for Education and Research on Macromolecules (CERM) , University of Liège , Liège , Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Thomassin
authors.affiliation: b Department of Chemistry , Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, UMR 5255 CNRS, Université Bordeaux, Groupe Spectroscopie Moléculaire , Talence Cedex , France.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tassaing
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemistry, Centre for Education and Research on Macromolecules (CERM) , University of Liège , Liège , Belgium.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jérôme
mesh_terms: D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D013537:Sutures
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
keywords: Drug-eluting sutures; coating; dispersion; polymer surgical suture; production process; wound closure