Selection of suture material

Modern suture is supplied pre-packaged and sterilised. All the details required for suture selection are listed on the outside of the packet. These details include:

1. The gauge: this is the diameter of the material, the metric number represents the diameter of the suture in tenths of a millimetre. The thinner the gauge, the lower the material’s tensile strength. This is measured as knot pull strength. A basic rule of thumb is that the material should not be stronger than the tissue that it is holding.
   1. Thickest: 8 metric (for which the imperial gauge equivalent is 6)
   2. Finest: 0.1 metric (for which there is no imperial gauge equivalent, 0.2 = 9/0)
2. The length
3. Monofilament or braided
4. Swaged on material: this indicates that the suture is attached into the end of the needle (the needle has no eye) making it easier to draw through tissue, causing minimum trauma and using a minimum of time – as the needle doesn’t have to be threaded.
5. The needle:
   1. Cross-section: cutting, taper cut, reverse cutting or round-bodied.
   2. Shape: curved, half curved, straight.
   3. Length: in mm.
   4. Diameter.

Ethicon Ltd¹, produces an information booklet which has more comprehensive details regarding the suture materials and needles they manufacture and suture techniques.

1. Ethicon booklet “Suture Material and Surgical Needles in Veterinary Surgery” can be obtained by contacting Ethicon Ltd, PO Box 408, Bankhead Avenue, Edinburgh, EH11 4HE, Tel: (0131) 458 5403