Abstract
By using a tensile testing instrument (UTM-4L, Toyo Baldwin), load-elongation curves were obtained with six types of surgical sutures, i. e. absorbable sutures (plain catgut, chromic catgut, and Dexon) and nonabsorbable sutures (Silk, Nylon, and Nespolen), of sizes No.3-0, No.2-0, and No.1-0. Load-elongation curves of all absorbable sutures are nearly linear over a wide load range. Silk and Nespolen give convex curves when the load is taken on the vertical axis while Nylon gives concave curves. For all sutures the breaking strength increases with increasing diameter, and the values are sufficiently higher than the minimum standards specified by U. S. Pharmacopeia. The load-elongation behavior is discussed in relation to the structure of the sutures observed with scanning electron microscope.
