Method for patterning a medical device

1. A method for color-patterning a medical device comprising:

providing a medical device;

applying at least one volatile dye to the medical device;

applying at least one masking agent to predetermined portions of the dyed, medical device to form masked and unmasked portions of the medical device; and

treating the medical device to remove the at least one volatile dye from the unmasked portion of the medical device thereby forming a color pattern on the medical device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing a medical device comprises a medical device selected from the group consisting of a suture, staple, mesh, patch, sling, stent, graft, clip, pin, screw, rivet, tack, bone plate, drug delivery device, wound dressing, woven device, non-woven device, braided device, adhesion barrier, and tissue scaffold.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the medical device is a suture.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying at least one volatile dye comprises at least one volatile dye selected from the group consisting of copper phthalocyanine, D&C Green No. 6, D&C Blue No. 6, D&C Violet No. 2, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying at least one volatile dye comprises applying D&C Violet No. 2.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying at least one masking agent comprises applying a metal salt of a fatty acid.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying at least one masking agent comprises applying at least one masking agent selected from the group consisting of calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, barium stearate, aluminum stearate, zinc stearate, calcium palmitate, magnesium palmitate, barium palmitate, aluminum palmitate, zinc palmitate, calcium oleate, magnesium oleate, barium oleate, aluminum oleate, zinc oleate, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying at least one masking agent comprises applying calcium stearate.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying at least one masking agent further comprises applying a bioabsorbable polymer in combination with the at least one masking agent.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of applying at least one masking agent further comprises applying a bioabsorbable polymer selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polydioxanone, polycaprolactone, copolymers of glycolide and trimethylene carbonate, polylactide/polyglycolide copolymers, polyesteramides, trimethylene carbonate, tetramethylene carbonate, dimethyl trimethylene carbonate, dioxanones, dioxepanones, absorbable cyclic amides, absorbable cyclic ether-esters derived from crown ethers, beta hydroxyacids, polyalkyl ethers, and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of treating the medical device comprises exposing the medical device to a temperature from about 75° C. to about 175° C.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of treating the medical device comprises exposing the medical device to a temperature from about 100° C. to about 150° C.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of treating the medical device further comprises exposing the medical device to nitrogen flow.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of treating the medical device further comprises exposing the medical device to a pressure of from about 50 m torr to about 700 torr.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of treating the medical device comprises treating the medical device from about 10 minutes to about 24 hours.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of treating the medical device comprises treating the medical device from about 15 minutes to about 2 hours.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of treating the medical device comprises treating the medical device from about 30 minutes to about 60 minutes.

18. A color-patterned medical device made from the method of claim 1 .

19. The color-patterned medical device of claim 18 wherein the medical device comprises a suture.

20. A method for color-patterning a medical device comprising:

providing a medical device;

applying at least one volatile dye to a surface of the medical device;

applying at least one masking agent to predetermined surfaces of the dyed, medical device to form masked and unmasked surfaces of the medical device; and

treating the medical device to remove the at least one volatile dye from the unmasked surface of the medical device thereby forming a color pattern on the surface of medical device.