| abstract |
Absorbable surgical suture material based on monocarboxycellulose of the formula <IMAGE> in which m is the degree of polymerisation of the cellulose used, which is in the range from 250 to 3300; p is the mole fraction, which is in the range from 0.95 to 0.05, of the D-glucopyranose rings in a polymer member; q is the mole fraction, which is in the range from 0.05 to 0.95, of the D-anhydroglucuronic acid in a polymer member; s is the mole fraction, which is in the range from 0.03 to 0.55, of the complex-bound D-anhydroglucuronic acid, of the metal and of the ligand in a polymer member; Me is a transition metal; n is the valency of the transition metal; k is the coordination number of the transition metal, which is >/= 4; Lig- are ligands with >/= 2 coordinating atoms; and Dent- is the number of coordinating atoms in these ligands. The suture material is produced by subjecting cellulose fibres which have been treated with nitrogen oxides to an additional treatment with a 0.5 to 2.0% aqueous solution or solution in a suitable organic solvent of a transition metal salt for 0.5 to 2.0 hours. The coordination number of the transition metal is at least 4. Treatment is then carried out with a 1.0 to 2.0 per cent aqueous solution or solution in a suitable organic solvent of a multidentate complexing agent for 0.5 to 2.0 hours. |