PLA Braided Suture with Drug-Carrying Microspheres for Controlling the Rate of Drug Release

Abstract

Surgical site infection is a prevalent complication that significantly impacts patient survival. The use of antimicrobial sutures can effectively reduce the risk of infection in surgical patients. Surgical sutures were prepared by knitting polylactic acid fibers using a biomedical knitting machine, and drug-loaded slow-release microspheres were prepared by the emulsification-solvent evaporation method. Finally, dopamine was utilized to construct a secondary reaction platform for the sutures, which led to the successful loading of drug-loaded microspheres onto the surface of the sutures with minimal changes in diameter and weight. The suture exhibited a knotless strength of 32.88 N and knotting strength of 32.34 N, respectively. The initial release of the drug-loaded microspheres of each specification was modest, and the release rate of the microspheres of each specification exhibited variability, thus achieving the desired control of the release. In addition, the finishing sutures demonstrated effective antimicrobial properties against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The drug release pattern of the suture fits well with the Higuchi equation, and the drug release cycle can be up to about 17 d. Consequently, the microsphere-loaded surgical suture material prepared in this experiment exhibits favorable mechanical properties, along with remarkable antimicrobial properties. Additionally, the drug release rate can be precisely regulated.