Segmented absorbable copolymer

Claim 2

The copolymer of claim 1 wherein said fast transesterifying linkages comprise lactate and/or glycolate linkages.

Claim 3

The copolymer of claim 2 wherein the lactate linkages have a crystallinity of less than about 40 percent based on differential scanning calorimetry and a melting point of less than about 170 o C and/or the glycolate linkages have a crystallinity of less than about 30 percent based on differential scanning calorimetry and a melting point of less than about 215 o C.

Claim 4

An article of manufacture comprising the copolymer of claim 2 wherein the plurality of slow transesterifying linkages are selected from the group consisting of trimethylene carbonate, caproate and dioxanone linkages.

Claim 5

The polymer of claims 1 to 3 or the article of claim 4 wherein the slow transesterifying linkages are selected from the group consisting of trimethylene carbonate and caproate linkages.

Claim 6

The article of claim 4 selected from the group consisting of a molding resin, film, surgical element, controlled release device, and extrusion pellets.

Claim 7

The article of claim 4 comprising a surgical element having at least one filament, the filament having a Young's modulus of from about 100,000 to 700,000 psi.

Claim 8

The article of claim 7 comprising a suture or ligature.

Claim 9

The article of claim 7 or 8 comprising a monofilament.

Claim 10

The article of claim 9 wherein the monofilament suture or ligature has a diameter of from about 0.02 to 0.70 mm; a Young's modulus of less than about 500,000 psi; a tensile strength of from about 50,000 to 150,000 psi; and an elongation to break of less than about 50 percent.

Claim 11

A process for manufacturing the copolymer of claim 1 comprising: employing sequential addition of at least two different cyclic ester monomers in at least two stages, the first cyclic ester monomer selected from the group consisting of carbonates and lactones, and mixtures thereof, and the second cyclic ester monomer selected from the group consisting of lactides and mixtures thereof, the sequential addition comprising: I. first polymerizing in a first stage at least said first cyclic ester monomer in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature of from about 160 to 220 o C. to obtain a first polymer melt; II. adding at least said second cyclic ester monomer to the first polymer melt; and III. second or more copolymerizing in a second or more stage said first polymer melt with at least said second cyclic ester monomer to obtain a second or more copolymer melt; and transesterifying the second or more copolymer melt for up to about 5 hours at a temperature of greater than about 180 o Centigrade.

Claim 12

The process of claim 11 wherein the sequential addition comprises: I. first polymerizing in a first stage at least said first cyclic ester monomer; II. first adding at least said second cyclic ester monomer to the first polymer melt; III. second copolymerizing in a second stage said first polymer melt with at least said second cyclic ester monomer to obtain a second copolymer melt; IV. second adding at least said second cyclic ester monomer to the second copolymer melt; and V. third copolymerizing in a third stage said second copolymer melt with at least said second cyclic ester monomer to obtain a third copolymer melt; and transesterifying the third copolymer melt for up to about 5 hours at a temperature of greater than about 180 o Centigrade.

Claim 13

The process of claim 11 or 12 wherein the substep I comprises first polymerizing in the first stage up to about 90 mole percent of said first cyclic ester monomer, the remaining mole percentage, if any, comprising said second cyclic ester monomer and the substeps II and/or IV comprise adding more than about 80 mole percent of said second cyclic ester monomer, the remaining mole percentage, if any, comprising said first cyclic ester monomer.

Claim 14

The process of claim 11 or 12 wherein the employing step comprises polymerizing in the presence of a metal coordination catalyst and/or an initiator.

Claim 15

The process of claim 14 wherein the initiator is selected from the group consisting of a monofunctional and polyfunctional alcohol.