Our FluoroFlex™ ePTFE is the ideal material for suture components. The material is biocompatible, hydrophobic, flexible, resistant to virtually all chemicals, and withstands extreme temperatures.
Recently a customer of ours, GOLNIT, contacted us about the extreme success they have been having utilizing our OEM suture components in their cardiovascular sutures. They shared a recent surgery on the papillary muscle in the heart where our components were utilized. Below are clips from the delicate procedure. Please keep in mind before you click on the videos below that these are actual recorded clips from a surgical procedure and viewer discretion is advised.
Insertion of suture (papillary muscle)
Insertion of suture to papillary muscle:
• Needle curvature is good and sharp
• However 20mm needle length is slightly long for MIS mitral
• 17mm needle length is ideal for both MIS and open repair
Tying knots (papillary muscle)
Knot tying:
• Knot is easy to perform with knot pusher
• The suture material slides well during knot tying
• The suture material felt strong during knot tying
Post surgery echocardiogram
Post-surgery success:
• The mitral repair is still good at day 5 post surgery echocardiogram
• Echo shows a strong beating heart
Why did they select our OEM suture components?
IPE’s ePTFE suture components are soft, biologically inert and chemically non reactive. Our ePTFE suture components are ideal to limit inflammation, bleeding and other collateral effects which may occur during closure or soft tissue reconstruction.
IPE’s FluoroFlex™ small diameter porous ePTFE OEM rod components are ideal for sutures:
- Soft and supple
- Knots tie easier
- Low elongation
- High tensile strength
- Various lengths and diameters
- Improved handling
- Doesn’t twist
| Part Number | Tensile Strength (Kgf) | Contact OD (mm) |
| VS-0 | >5.27 | 0.660-0.760 |
| VS-2 | >3.50 | 0.535-0.615 |
| VS-3 | >2.64 | 0.460-0.530 |
| VS-4 | >1.67 | 0.330-0.400 |
| VS-5 | >1.00 | 0.280-0.330 |
| VS-6 | >0.65 | 0.185-0.235 |
| VS-7 | >0.40 | 0.110-.0135 |
| VS-8 | >0.30 | 0.083-0.109 |
FluoroFlex™ ePTFE VS® suture components are manufactured in continuous lengths for suturing or custom applications. They are the ideal suture components for many implant surgical procedures where low elongation and high strength are required. Custom variations of the FluoroFlex™ ePTFE suture components can be developed upon request – custom sizes, strengths, porosity, and outer diameters, please contact us for more information.
When looking for a highly flexible, lubricious, chemically inert, hydrophobic plastic for critical applications, very few non-woven plastics can meet or exceed the flexural properties needed in typical medical implants like our FluoroFlex™.
How can IPE help you?
IPE manufactures and distributes custom profile extrusions made from a variety of melt thermoplastic materials and our Fluoroflex™ porous polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). We are committed to understanding your specific project requirements and will tailor a development program to your time frame, costs, and project needs.
As an ISO 13485 registered company, we place a strong emphasis on quality. Our facility includes a Class 10,000 clean room for projects with stringent cleanliness standards. With more than 20 years of custom extrusion experience, we apply our extensive knowledge to every project and will optimize your custom extrusion for aesthetics, cost, and/or functionality. For more information please visit our website at www.ipeweb.com, send us a request for quote, or contact us to get started on your next project.
