Multifilaments with time-dependent characteristics, and medical products made from such multifilaments
The invention relates to a resorbable multifilament comprising a number of individual resorbable filaments of a first type having a first degradation time and a number of individual resorbable filaments of a second type having a second degradation time, wherein the filaments of the first type and the filaments of the second type are arranged in close relationship to form a composite multifilament having a length and a specific composite cross-section comprising cross-sections of the individual filaments of the first type and second type, wherein the cross-sections of the individual filaments of the first and second type are located at determined relative positions, wherein the relative positions amongst the individual cross-sections of the filaments of the first and second types are invariant over the length of the composite multifilament.
1. An implantable resorbable multifilament, comprising:
a number of individual resorbable filaments of a first type, and
a number of individual resorbable filaments of a second type; wherein
the filaments of the first type and the filaments of the second type are arranged in close relationship to form an implantable composite multifilament having a length and a specific composite cross-section, which comprises cross-sections of the individual filaments of the first type and cross-sections of the individual filaments of the second type; wherein
the cross-sections of the individual filaments of the first and second types are located at determined relative positions; and wherein
the relative positions amongst the individual cross-sections of the filaments of the first type and the individual cross-sections of the filaments of the second type are invariant over the length of the composite multifilament.
2. The implantable resorbable multifilament according to claim 1 , wherein the individual filaments of the first type have a first modulus of elasticity and the individual filaments of the second type have a second modulus of elasticity, and wherein the second modulus of elasticity is different from the first modulus of elasticity.
3. The implantable resorbable multifilament according to claim 2 , wherein the multifilament has a generally circular cross-section, and wherein the filaments of the first type constitute a core of the composite cross-section and the filaments of the second type are disposed concentrically around the core.
4. The implantable resorbable multifilament according to claim 1 , wherein the filaments of the first type occupy a first continuous portion of the composite cross-section.
5. The implantable resorbable multifilament according to claim 4 , wherein the individual filaments of the first type have a first modulus of elasticity and the individual filaments of the second type have a second modulus of elasticity, and wherein the first modulus of elasticity is higher than the second modulus of elasticity.
6. The implantable resorbable multifilament according to claim 1 , wherein the filaments of the first type occupy a number of non-continuous portions of the composite cross-section.
7. The implantable resorbable multifilament according to claim 1 , wherein the multifilament has a generally circular cross-section, and wherein the filaments of the first type occupy a first circle sector of the circular cross-section and the filaments of the second type occupy a second circle sector of the circular cross-section.
8. The implantable resorbable multifilament according to claim 7 , wherein the first circle sector is a semi-circle and the second circle sector is a complementary semi-circle.
9. The implantable resorbable multifilament according to claim 1 , wherein the multifilament has a generally circular cross-section, and wherein the filaments of the first type constitute a core of the circular cross-section and the filaments of the second type are disposed concentrically around the core.
10. The implantable resorbable multifilament according to claim 1 , wherein the multifilament has a generally circular cross-section, and wherein the filaments of the first type constitute a core of the composite cross-section and the filaments of the second type are disposed concentrically around the core.
11. The implantable resorbable multifilament according to claim 10 , wherein the individual filaments of the first type have a first modulus of elasticity and the individual filaments of the second type have a second modulus of elasticity, and wherein the first modulus of elasticity is lower than the second modulus of elasticity.
12. The implantable resorbable multifilament according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second types differ in at least one mechanical property.
13. A medical mesh comprising implantable resorbable multifilaments according to claim 1 configured in a woven mesh configured for implantation in a human body.