II. Category
- Synthetic Nonabsorbable Suture (monofilament)
III. Advantages: Good choice for skin closure
- High tensile strength
- Minimal tissue reactivity
- Excellent elasticity
- Low cost
IV. Disadvantages
- High memory (requires 3 to 4 knot throws to hold)
- Pliabilized Ethilon in Alcohol reduces memory
V. Absorption (Hydrolyzes in skin at very slow rate)
- Year 1: 89% of tensile strength
- Year 2: 72% of tensile strength
- Year 11: 66% of tensile strength
VI. References
- Epperson in Pfenninger and Fowler (1994) Procedures for Primary Care Physicians, Mosby, Chicago, p. 3-11
- Townsend (2001) Sabiston Textbook Surgery, p. 1552-3
- Howell (1997) Emerg Med Clin North Am 15(2):417-25 [PubMed]
- Moy (1991) Am Fam Physician 44(6):2123-8 [PubMed]