Teleflex adds capacity for bioresorbables

Teleflex Medical OEM has announced a “significant expansion” of its manufacturing infrastructure and production capabilities for bioresorbable sutures, fibres, and resins. The multi-million dollar investment at the Mansfield, Massachusetts facility includes expanded production and clean room areas, a new customer support center, and additional areas for research and development activities.

“The Mansfield expansion exemplifies our commitment to grow our operations in step with our customers' needs. The intent was to develop a specialised facility dedicated to our work in bioresorbable fiber and suture technology”, said Debra Masso, General Manager, Performance Fibers. “We certainly have achieved the goal with this state-of-the-art operation.”

One example of the group’s bioresorbable product is the Bondek Plus (polyglycolic acid) coated suture. The suture holds body tissues together long enough to allow healing, but slowly resorbs over time so it does not leave foreign material or require additional surgical procedures for removal.

In addition to suture, the Mansfield facility will house manufacturing operations for specialised yarns of polyglycolic acid (PGA), poly-L-lactide (PLLA), and polyglycolic acid-co-poly-L-lactic acid (PGLA). These bioresorbable yarns can be knitted, woven, felted, or braided into bioresorbable components used in textile-based medical devices.

Teleflex Medical OEM is able to take a biomedical project from resin to fibre to yarn to component or suture. The company offers an extensive range of materials (both bioresorbable and non-absorbable), sizes (USP/EP and custom), and coatings to meet specific requirements for strength, flexibility, and handling. In addition, Teleflex Medical OEM is able to customise PIC counts and braids to allow the design of advanced custom constructs.