Patent ID: 8016881

Claim:
A surgical article, comprising: a surgical joining device selected from the group consisting of sutures and surgical staples said surgical joining device formed of a biostable or bioabsorbable polymer; a coating over a surface of said device, said coating including amphiphilic copolymer; and an agent carried by said coating or said device such that said coating controls a release rate of said agent; wherein said agent present in a functional amount with a function selected from the group consisting of preventing scarring, preventing infection, or preventing an adverse reaction to a procedure for installing said device; and said amphiphilic copolymer comprising a network including both hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymer chains that are able to swell in both hydrophobic and hydrophilic solvents, said hydrophobic polymer chain including polyolefin or polysiloxane, said hydrophilic polymer chain including poly(alkylene glycol), polyacrylate, or aminoalkyl acrylate, said network including PEG, PIB, PDMS, and combinations thereof.