II. Category

  1. Natural Nonabsorbable Suture (braided)

III. Indications: Rarely used now

  1. Eye and lip skin surgery
  2. Intraoral surgery
  3. Vas deferens ligation (Vasectomy)

IV. Advantages

  1. Best handling and tying of any Suture Material

V. Disadvantages

  1. Least tensile strength of any Suture Material
  2. High tissue reactivity (similar to Catgut Suture)
  3. Increases risk of infection due to high capillarity

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]

Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)

Related Studies

Ontology: Silk suture (C0183745)

Definition (UMD) Nonabsorbable natural sutures made of raw silk spun by silkworms (an animal protein). Silk sutures are usually classified as nonabsorbable, but they are subject to a slow (e.g., two year) process of proteolysis absorption. These sutures are typically available in sterile multifilament twisted or braided thread sections (e.g., 18, 30 inches/45, 76 cm long) attached to a single-use needle as an integral device; they are usually characterized by their excellent handling properties. Silk sutures are frequently available with beeswax or silicone coating; they are frequently colored for easy identification during surgery. Their intended use includes suturing of internal organs and tissues; noncoated silk sutures are usually intended for ophthalmic surgery.
Definition (SPN) Natural nonabsorbable silk surgical suture is a nonabsorbable, sterile, flexible multifilament thread composed of an organic protein called fibroin. This protein is derived from the domesticated species Bombyx mori (B. mori) of the family Bombycidae. Natural nonabsorbable silk surgical suture is indicated for use in soft tissue approximation. Natural nonabsorbable silk surgical suture meets the United States Pharmacopeia (U.S.P.) monograph requirements for Nonabsorbable Surgical Suture (class I). Natural nonabsorbable silk surgical suture may be braided or twisted; it may be provided uncoated or coated; and it may be undyed or dyed with an FDA listed color additive.
Concepts Medical Device (T074)
SnomedCT 123636009
English SUTURE, NONABSORBABLE, SILK, Silk suture, device, Sutures, Natural, Nonabsorbable, Silk, Sutures, Silk, Silk Sutures, silk suture, silk sutures, Silk suture, SS - Silk suture, Silk suture, device (physical object)
Spanish sutura de seda (objeto fĂ­sico), sutura de seda