II. Category

  1. Synthetic Nonabsorbable Suture (monofilament)

III. Advantages: Good choice for skin closure

  1. High tensile strength
  2. Minimal tissue reactivity
  3. Excellent elasticity
  4. Low cost

IV. Disadvantages

  1. High memory (requires 3 to 4 knot throws to hold)
    1. Pliabilized Ethilon in Alcohol reduces memory

V. Absorption (Hydrolyzes in skin at very slow rate)

  1. Year 1: 89% of tensile strength
  2. Year 2: 72% of tensile strength
  3. Year 11: 66% of tensile strength

VI. References

  1. Epperson in Pfenninger and Fowler (1994) Procedures for Primary Care Physicians, Mosby, Chicago, p. 3-11
  2. Townsend (2001) Sabiston Textbook Surgery, p. 1552-3
  3. Howell (1997) Emerg Med Clin North Am 15(2):417-25 [PubMed]
  4. Moy (1991) Am Fam Physician 44(6):2123-8 [PubMed]

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