Whenever you undergo a medical procedure that requires stitches, you must have wondered what happens to the sutures after the wound heals. Do they stay in your body forever or do they just disappear on their own?
This question is very important for patients who want to understand the healing process of human body wounds. Let’s explore together the explanation of suture thread below!
Types of Sewing Thread that Can Be Absorbed by the Body
In the medical world, there are several types of special sutures that are designed to be absorbed by the human body. Here are some of the most common types of absorbable sutures used in medical procedures:
1. Polyglactin
Polyglactin is a synthetic suture made from a complex polymer. Made from a mixture of glycolic acid and lactic acid, this thread has unique characteristics that make it very suitable for various medical procedures.
This suture is absorbable by hydrolysis, and has a very high initial tensile strength, minimizing the risk of rupture during surgery. During the first week after surgery, the suture maintains approximately 85% of the tissue strength, 67% at the end of the second week, and 45% at the end of the third week. Finally, complete resorption occurs within 57-70 days. This allows for optimal wound healing while ensuring that the tissue maintains its strength.
For product examples, you can see PGLA (Sutryl 910) owned by Sutcon Sutures.
2. Polyglecaprone
Poliglecaprone is a type of very fine and flexible mono-filament suture. Made of synthetic polymer with a special chemical composition, the thread provides minimal pain and trauma to the tissue.
It has high initial strength and is absorbed by the body through a simple hydrolysis mechanism. The strength of this suture gradually decreases over time, with complete absorption occurring within 180-210 days, making it a prime choice for cosmetic procedures or sutures that require extra fineness. Its softness and elasticity make it ideal for suturing in sensitive areas such as the face or areas with thin tissue.
You can get it at Sutcon Sutures which is the type Polyglycapron PGCL (Supron) .
3. Polyglycolic Acid
Polyglycolic acid (PGA) is a synthetic suture with the fastest absorbable characteristics among other types of absorbable sutures. This suture has very high initial strength and generally maintains its strength for 10-12 days after use.
Polyglactin is available in two variants: PGA (Polyglycolic Acid) and PGA Quick (Polyglycolic Acid Quick). PGA Quick has a faster absorption time, with complete absorption within 10-14 days, while regular PGA takes 57-70 days to fully hydrolyze in the body.
The strength of this thread network will decrease rapidly, making it very suitable for minor surgical procedures or wounds with a relatively fast healing process.
At Sutcon Sutures, an example is sewing thread PGA (Sutryl) And PGA Quick (Sutryl Quick) .
4. Polydioxanone (PDO)
Made from synthetic polymer polydioxanone[Polu(1,4-dioxane-2-one)] , this thread has unique characteristics that make it popular. As a monofilament thread, PDO is smoother and reduces the risk of tissue trauma.
This thread maintains its strength for up to about 90 days through a hydrolysis process and undergoes complete absorption by the body within 180 to 238 days.
In medical practice, doctors usually use PDO threads in various surgical procedures, ranging from general surgery, plastic surgery, gynecological procedures, to orthopedic interventions.
Its most prominent advantages are low tissue reaction rate, good flexibility, and the ability to produce sutures with minimal impact on tissue.
You can find the product easily, namely at Sutcon Sutures-Polydioxanone (PDO II) .
5. Catgut Plain
Plain catgut surgical suture thread is a surgical suture thread made from natural collagen extracted from sheep or cow intestines. This thread can be absorbed by the body in approximately 7-10 days after the wound stitching process.
The plain catgut type does not contain a chromium layer so its absorption is faster than chromic catgut.
You can see more details about this type at Plaingut choose Sutcon Sutures.
6. Chromic Catgut
Chromic catgut is plain catgut coated with chromium salts to strengthen the thread. Commonly used for suturing fascia, muscles or ligating blood vessels.
This type of sewing thread takes about 21-26 days to be absorbed by the body.
See complete information about needle length to stitch length on the page Chrogut .
Thread Absorption Process in the Body
Absorbable thread can blend with the body through a biological process, namely Enzymatic Hydrolysis. This is the process that occurs when the suture is inside the body.
The process of absorbing sewing thread in the body varies depending on the sewing thread material. If natural collagen from mammals is degraded by the body’s enzymes, synthetic threads will decompose through a hydrolysis process that breaks down the polymer structure.
Tissue reactions resulting from the hydrolysis process in synthetic yarns tend to be milder than tissue reactions resulting from enzymatic breakdown in natural yarns.
What about Non-Absorbable Suture Thread?
Non-absorbable suture thread is thread that cannot be absorbed by the body and must be removed manually by medical personnel. Unlike absorbable thread, this type of thread will not break down by itself in the body. This means you will need to return to the medical facility to have the stitches removed once the wound has healed.
Efada Medical, The Best Solution for Your Medical Needs!
Want to get high quality sewing thread with international medical standards? Efada Medical is the solution! We provide various types of sewing thread absorbable And non-absorbable with premium quality.
Contact us now for consultation and ordering!
Reference:
https://www.scribd.com/presentation/513316668/bahan-materi-benang
https://skillslab.fk.uns.ac.id/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/BEDAH-MINOR-2018-smt-7.pdf
https://www.alomedika.com/tindakan-medis/bedah-minor/teknik-penjahitan-kulit/teknik