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What are the applications of polylactic acid fibers in the medical industry
source：odigo.com.cn | Release time：2025-07-151、 Absorbable suture thread
This is one of the most mature applications of polylactic acid fibers in the medical field.
Principle: After being implanted into the human body, sutures made of polylactic acid fibers will gradually be broken down by lipase in human tissues within 6-18 months, without the need for secondary surgery to remove them, reducing patient pain and infection risk.
Advantages:
The mechanical strength gradually decreases over time (initially strong enough to support wound healing, gradually weakening in the later stages), matching the wound healing cycle (such as 2-4 weeks for skin suturing and 8-12 weeks for visceral suturing);
Compared with traditional sheep intestine suture, PLA suture degrades into lactic acid (a metabolic product of the human body), has no inflammatory response, and is suitable for sensitive tissues (such as ophthalmology and pediatric surgery).
Application scenarios: General surgery (abdominal surgery), orthopedics (tendon suturing), obstetrics and gynecology (cesarean section wounds), etc.
2、 Organizational engineering scaffold
Polylactic acid fibers can be made into three-dimensional porous scaffolds through weaving, electrospinning and other processes, providing a "framework" for cell growth and being a key material for tissue regeneration.
characteristic:
Porous structure (porosity up to 70% -90%) is conducive to cell attachment, proliferation, and nutrient exchange;
The degradation rate can be regulated (by blending with materials such as polycaprolactone (PCL), adjusting the degradation time to match the tissue regeneration rate (such as 6-12 months for bone tissue regeneration and 2-4 weeks for skin regeneration).
Application scenarios:
Bone repair: PLA fiber scaffold combined with hydroxyapatite (simulated bone component), used for repairing fracture defects, gradually degraded in vivo and replaced by new bone tissue;
Skin repair: Electrospun PLA nanofiber scaffold (similar to skin collagen fiber structure) can promote wound healing, reduce scar formation, and is suitable for the treatment of burns and chronic ulcers.3、 Medical dressings
Dressings made of polylactic acid fibers have the characteristics of breathability, moisture absorption, antibacterial, and biodegradability, making them suitable for wound care.
Types and advantages:
Non woven dressing: Non woven fabric made of PLA short fibers is soft and skin friendly, capable of absorbing wound exudate, maintaining a moist environment, and accelerating healing; After degradation, there is no need to remove it to avoid secondary damage when changing dressings;
Antibacterial dressing: PLA fiber is loaded with silver ions, antibiotics, etc., and slowly releases antibacterial ingredients during degradation to prevent wound infection (such as anti infection treatment of diabetes foot ulcers).
Application scenarios: Acute trauma (cuts, abrasions), chronic wounds (pressure ulcers, venous ulcers), postoperative wound care, etc.
4、 Orthopedic internal fixation materials
Polylactic acid fiber-reinforced composite materials (such as PLA/hydroxyapatite composite rods and screws) can replace traditional metal internal fixation materials (such as steel plates and steel nails).
Advantages:
Degradability: After fracture healing (about 3-12 months), it automatically degrades to avoid stress shielding caused by long-term retention of metal internal fixation (affecting bone density) and secondary surgical removal;
Mechanical matching: The elastic modulus is close to that of human bones (PLA is about 2-3GPa, bones are about 10-30GPa), reducing bone damage caused by differences in material hardness.
Application scenarios: fixation of small bone fractures in hands and feet, bone correction in children (to avoid metal objects affecting bone growth), vertebral body shaping surgery, etc.
5、 Drug sustained-release carrier
The porous structure and controllable degradability of polylactic acid fibers make them an ideal drug delivery platform.
Principle: Encapsulate or load drugs (such as antibiotics and anti-tumor drugs) into PLA fibers, and gradually release the drugs as the fibers degrade in the body, achieving long-lasting and targeted drug delivery.
Advantages:
The sustained release period can be adjusted (from a few days to several months), reducing the frequency of administration (such as local chemotherapy for cancer, which can avoid systemic toxic side effects);
It can be made into fibrous membranes, microspheres, and other forms for local lesions (such as preventing residual cancer cells after tumor resection and preventing postoperative infections).
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