PACKAGED ANTIMICROBIAL MEDICAL DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED SHELF LIFE AND METHOD OF PREPARING SAME

摘要

A packaged antimicrobial suture. Thepackaged antimicrobial suture includes an innerpackage having a source of antimicrobial agent, thesource of antimicrobial agent comprising a pluralityof patches, each patch having a pair of antimicrobialmaterial reservoirs; at least one suture positionedwithin the inner package, the at least one suturecomprising one or more surfaces; and an outer packagehaving an inner surface, the outer package having theinner package positioned within; wherein the at leastone suture, the inner package and the inner surface ofthe outer package are subjected to time, temperatureand pressure conditions sufficient to transfer aneffective amount of the antimicrobial agent from theantimicrobial agent source to the at least one sutureand the inner package, thereby substantiallyinhibiting bacterial colonization on the at least one sutureand the inner package. A method of making apackaged antimicrobial suture having is also provided.