Poly (lactide -co- glycolide) Fiber: An Overview

Co-polymers of lactide and glycolide, referred to as PLGA, have generated tremendous interest because of their excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability and mechanical strength. Various polymeric devices like microspheres, microcapsules, nanoparticles, pellets, implants, and films have been fabricated using these polymers. They can be transformed by spinning into filaments for subsequent fabrication of desirable textile structures. Spinning may be accomplished by various routes. The fibers may be fabricated into various forms and may be used for implants and other surgical applications such as sutures. They are also easy to formulate into various delivery systems for carrying a variety of drug classes. The present article presents a review on the production of PLGA fiber by various methods, along with correlations between structure and properties of the fibers. The applications of these fibers in biomedical domains are also discussed.