Polyglykolid
Polyglycolide, or poly(glycolic acid), is a biodegradable aliphatic polyester composed of repeating glycolic acid units linked by ester bonds. The repeating unit is −O−CH2−CO−O−. It is prepared by polymerization of glycolide, the cyclic dimer of glycolic acid, usually via ring-opening polymerization with metal catalysts. The polymer is typically highly crystalline and possesses a melting temperature around 215–230°C and a glass transition temperature near 35–40°C. It is highly susceptible to hydrolysis under physiological conditions, yielding glycolic acid, which is metabolized by the body.
In medical use, polyglycolide is best known as an absorbable suture material; its mechanical strength diminishes
Polyglycolide is also used in tissue engineering scaffolds and drug-delivery systems, and as a constituent of
Healthcare regulators generally regard PGA as biocompatible and resorbable; it is employed in various surgical and