Absorbable Veterinary Sutures

Absorbable sutures are generally used to oppose and ligate tissues that will be inaccessible after implantation. In addition, they are chosen because they degrade after implantation and do not require removal after healing has occurred.

Also, the absorbable veterinary sutures lose their initial tensile strength in 60 days. However, some absorbable veterinary sutures will take several months to completely disappear. The absorbable suture materials can be natural or synthetic.

Chromic catgut is a natural absorbable surgical suture material . It has a weak tensile strength and creates a marked inflammatory reaction in the tissue.

It is absorbed by phagocytosis and tends to be absorbed more rapidly in tissues with high vascularity, increased digestive enzymes (eg, stomach or urinary bladder), infected tissues or in hypoproteinemic patients.

Synthetic suture materials include polyglactin 910, glycomer-631, polydioxanone, polygallecapron-25, etc. These materials are often selected because they have higher tensile strength, less tissue reactivity and better performance in infected tissues.

The degradation of these synthetic absorbable sutures is produced by the hydroxylation of the chemical bonds, resulting in a more predictable loss of tensile strength.