A braided, coated synthetic absorbable suture made from a copolymer of glycolide and L-lactide, for soft tissue approximation and ligation. Predictable hydrolytic absorption with smooth tissue passage.
Wound closure
Absorbable sutures
Absorbable sutures are broken down and absorbed by the body over time, giving temporary wound support without a removal visit. Our range covers synthetic and natural materials, braided and monofilament, across rapid, standard and extended absorption profiles.
The background
What absorbable sutures are
An absorbable suture holds the wound while the tissue heals and is then broken down and absorbed by the body, so it does not have to be taken out.
Synthetic absorbable sutures are absorbed mainly by hydrolysis — water breaking the polymer chain down at a rate set by the chemistry. Natural absorbables such as catgut are broken down enzymatically instead, which is why their behaviour varies more from patient to patient.
They come as braided multifilaments, which handle supply and hold a knot well, and as monofilaments, which pass through tissue with very little drag.
Choosing an absorption profile
Absorbable sutures differ in two separate ways: how long they keep their tensile strength, and how long they take to disappear. We describe the first as rapid, standard or extended.
The right profile follows the tissue. Mucosa and skin that heal in days do not need a strand that holds for two months; fascia and slow-healing tissue do.
Range and sizes
The range spans U.S.P. sizes for a wide variety of procedures, in braided and monofilament constructions, with a choice of needle configurations. Selection of material, size and needle rests with the operating surgeon.
The range
The absorbable suture range
Synthetic and natural absorbable sutures — polyglactin, PGA, poliglecaprone, polydioxanone and catgut — that lose tensile strength predictably and are absorbed by the body.
The fast-absorbing form of Polyglactin 910 — braided and coated — for closures that need only short-term wound support, where the strand should be gone as soon as the tissue is holding on its own.
A synthetic, braided, coated absorbable suture of 100% polyglycolic acid, engineered for smooth tissue passage, high tensile-strength retention and predictable hydrolytic absorption.
A monofilament synthetic absorbable suture from a glycolide–caprolactone copolymer, offering very smooth tissue passage and low tissue reactivity — a natural choice for subcuticular closure.
A synthetic monofilament of poly(p-dioxanone), absorbed by hydrolysis, delivering extended tensile-strength retention where the repair needs support for longer than a braid can give it.
A natural absorbable suture of purified collagen treated with chromium salts, which lengthens the absorption profile for general soft-tissue approximation and ligation.
A natural absorbable suture made from intestinal submucosa, with smooth tissue passage and dependable knot security for general, obstetric, gynaecological and gastro-intestinal closure.
How long each material holds
Strength retention and absorption are two different clocks
A suture stops carrying load well before it leaves the body, so the two are quoted separately: residual tensile strength over the first weeks, and the completion of absorption after that.
| Suture | Material | 7 d | 14 d | 21 d | 28 d | 90 d | Absorption complete |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRB Glycron | Polyglycolic acid | 96.1% | 83.3% | 53.8% | 19.95% | — | 60–90 days |
| SRB Lactron | Polyglactin 910 | 94.1% | 74.9% | 49.1% | 26.7% | — | 56–70 days |
| SRB Lactron Rapid | Polyglactin 910, fast | 64% | 31.9% | 10.9% | 2.1% | — | 42 days |
| SRB Dioxon | Polydioxanone | — | 79.01% | — | 68.19% | 21.6% | 180–190 days |
| SRB Caprone | Poliglecaprone 25 | 55% | 25% | 10% | 0% | — | 90–120 days |
Approximate residual tensile strength after implantation, with absorption quoted separately. Figures derive from animal implantation studies and vary with tissue type and patient condition; the instructions for use supplied with the product is the controlled source. Catgut is not tabulated — its absorption is enzymatic and depends on tissue enzyme activity, so no retention figures are stated.
Compare
The range by material, structure and profile
Refer to each product for U.S.P. sizes, needle options and reference codes.
| Suture | Material | Structure | Absorption profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRB Lactron | Polyglactin 910 | Braided | Standard |
| SRB Lactron Rapid | Polyglactin 910 | Braided | Rapid |
| SRB Glycron | Polyglycolic acid (PGA) | Braided | Standard |
| SRB Caprone | Poliglecaprone 25 | Monofilament | Standard |
| SRB Dioxon | Polydioxanone (PDO) | Monofilament | Extended |
| SRB Chromgut | Natural collagen (chromic catgut) | Monofilament | Standard |
| SRB Plaingut | Natural collagen (plain catgut) | Monofilament | Rapid |
Applications
Where absorbable sutures are used
Anywhere the tissue will heal on its own timetable and a removal visit is either impractical or unnecessary.
- General and gastrointestinal surgery
- Obstetrics and gynaecology
- Soft-tissue approximation and ligation
- Subcuticular and deep-layer closure
Questions
Frequently asked
What does absorbable mean?
The suture is broken down by the body — by hydrolysis for synthetics, enzymatically for catgut — and absorbed, so it does not need to be removed.
How long do absorbable sutures last?
It depends on the material. Rapid profiles are largely gone in around six weeks; standard profiles complete absorption in roughly two to four months; polydioxanone extends to about six months. See the retention table above.
Are braided and monofilament both available?
Yes. Polyglactin 910 and PGA are braided and coated; poliglecaprone 25 and polydioxanone are monofilaments; catgut is a natural monofilament strand.
Do absorbable sutures need to be removed?
No — that is the point of them. Any part left exposed at the skin may be trimmed, but the strand itself is absorbed.
For healthcare professionals. Retention and absorption figures describe device
characteristics under test conditions and are not a treatment recommendation. Selection of material, size,
needle and technique rests with the operating surgeon.
Get in touch
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