Electrospun Drug-Eluting pH-Responsive Nanofiber Yarns as Surgical Sutures for Wound Healing

As surgical site infection poses a critical healthcare challenge, the demand for smart sutures loaded with antibacterial drugs emerges. In this work, poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) PVDF-HFP composite yarns containing 1 wt% cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) are produced via yarn electrospinning and loaded with crystal violet (CV) as a model drug. The produced yarns exhibit pH-responsive drug release performance, with sustained structural stability in pH and temperature environment suitable for wound healing. The drug release profile conforms to the Ritger–Peppas model, suggesting that Fickian diffusion dominates the release kinetics. After being loaded with levofloxacin, the PVDF-HFP/CNC yarns exhibit strong antimicrobial activity and cytocompatibility, emphasizing their potential for advancing antibacterial wound healing in suture applications.