Layer-by-layer deposition of polymeric microgel films on surgical sutures for loading and release of ibuprofen

Surgical sutures capable of drug loading and sustained release are important in wound healing applications. In this work, a facile way to incorporate anti-inflammatory drug of ibuprofen in surgical sutures has been established. First, surgical sutures were deposited with multilayer films containing microgels of chemically cross-linked poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and dextran (named PAH-D) by layer-by-layer deposition of PAH-D and hyaloplasm acid (HA). Ibuprofen was then incorporated in the PAH-D/HA films to obtain ibuprofen-loaded sutures. Ibuprofen incorporated in the surgical sutures can be released in 0.9% normal saline in a sustainable way. The successful incorporation of ibuprofen in surgical sutures depends largely on PAH-D microgels, which can deposit directly on the hydrophobic surgical sutures without any surface modification and load ibuprofen based on electrostatic interaction between them. The present study provides a facile and generally applicable way to incorporate drugs in surgical sutures that is highly useful to accelerate the healing of cuts and wounds.