Suture Characteristics

 

Suture Type	Material	Absorbability	Tensile Strength	Common Dermatology Uses	Additional Characteristics
Nylon (Ethilon)	Synthetic	Non-absorbable	High	Skin closure, facial lacerations	Monofilament, low tissue reactivity, easy removal
Polypropylene (Prolene)	Synthetic	Non-absorbable	High	Skin closure, especially in areas with tension	Monofilament, minimal tissue reactivity, blue color for visibility
Plain Gut	Natural	Absorbable	Low	Temporary skin sutures, mucosal surfaces	Twisted, absorbed in 70 days, higher tissue reaction
Polyglactin 910 (Vicryl)	Synthetic	Absorbable	Moderate	Subcuticular closure, deeper layers	Braided, absorbed in 56-70 days, good knot security
Poliglecaprone 25 (Monocryl)	Synthetic	Absorbable	High	Superficial skin closure, subcuticular sutures	Monofilament, absorbed in 91-119 days, minimal tissue reaction, excellent for cosmetic outcomes
Polydioxanone (PDS)	Synthetic	Absorbable	High	Subdermal sutures, high-tension areas	Monofilament, absorbed in 180-210 days, minimal scarring

Key Terms:

• Absorbable: Sutures that are absorbed by the body over time, useful when no removal is desired.
• Non-absorbable: Sutures that need to be removed after healing.
• Tensile Strength: The resistance of the suture to breaking under stress.
• Monofilament: Single-strand sutures, reducing the risk of infection and scarring.
• Braided: Multi-strand sutures, providing better knot security but potentially more tissue reactivity.