Skin Closure Materials

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Skin Closure Materials
surgical suture
9December 2021

Sutures are surgical stitches that are used to close a wound after surgery. An ideal suture allows the fast healing of tissue and keeps the wound closed until it is properly healed. These sutures are mainly categorized into absorbable and non-absorbable sutures. The main difference between them is that the absorbable sutures are absorbed naturally in the body and non-absorbable sutures must be removed. These can be further subdivided into natural or synthetic sutures and monofilament or multifilament sutures. A suitable material for wound closure is that which is easy to handle, predictable, has good knot security, does not cause tissue drag, and has a minimal reaction. There is a long list of companies that are top suture manufacturers in India.

Classification Of Sutures:

  • Absorbable sutures- These sutures can be easily absorbed inside the body through enzymatic reactions or hydrolysis. After a certain period, when the tissue has healed completely, they naturally break down inside the body. The time it takes to get absorbed depends on various factors. The absorbable sutures are commonly used for tissues that are deep and heal at a faster rate. For example- Polyglactin 910 (Vicryl), Polyglycolic Acid Suture (PGA), Poliglecaprone 25 (Monocryl) etc.
  • Non-absorbable sutures- These sutures are made up of man-made materials which are not metabolized by the human body. Non-absorbable sutures provide long term tissue support. The application of these tissues is mainly where the tissues will take more time to heal. For example- nylon, polyester fiber, polypropylene, etc.
  • Natural sutures- These are made from natural fibers like silk or catgut. They produce a tissue reaction when used due to which they are less frequently used.
  • Synthetic sutures- These are made from man-made materials like nylon. They are more predictable in the case of tensile strength and absorption thus they are more frequently used than natural fibers.
  • Monofilament sutures- They are made up of a single-stranded filament. The infection risk is lower, but they possess poor knot security and ease of handling. For example- Nylon / Polyamide/ Polypropylene / Polydioxanone / Poliglecaprone / Stainless steel
  • Multifilament sutures- They are made up of several filaments that are twisted together. These sutures have easier handling and excellent knot security. For example- braided silk or vicryl.

Classification Of Suture Material:

  • Polyglycolic acid/polylactic acid- synthetic, absorbable, braided multifilament
  • Polyglactin910 Suture- synthetic, absorbable, Multifilament
  • Polydioxanone- synthetic, absorbable, monofilament
  • Poliglecaprone 25 Monofilament- synthetic, absorbable, monofilament
  • Stainless steel- metal, non-absorbable, mono, and multifilament
  • Polyamide- synthetic, non-absorbable, monofilament
  • Polypropylene- synthetic, non-absorbable, monofilament
  • Silk- natural, non-absorbable, braid multifilament
  • Catgut- twisted, absorbable, twisted multifilament

The choice of suture material is dependent on various factors like the type of tissue, risk of infection, and sometimes personal preferences. Surgical sutures supplier company supplies sutures to various parts of the world. The best suture manufacturer companies are focused on design, development, and manufacturing. The suitable surgical needle allows the correct positioning of the suture material within a tissue. The sutures are available in numerous diameters and a suitable suture is used based on the type of surgery. There are indications and contraindications of all the types of sutures, so a surgeon must keep various factors in his mind before selecting the most suitable one.