ABSTRACT
The first synthetic polymers designed specifically for use in the body as resorbable materials were the polyglycolides, also known as poly (glycolic acid)s (1), which were used to make the Dexon sutures in 1970. In parallel, research on aliphatic polyesters derived from lactic acid was initiated and led to the first lactic/glycolic copolymer (PLAGA) exploited as the Vicryl suture (2). The PLAGA-based sutures, which did not require surgical removal after healing, paved the way for many other applications known as temporary therapeutic applications, i.e., applications requiring the help of a prosthetic device for a limited period of time, namely, the healing time.
