Anatomy & Physiology: Current Research
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Suture

Sutures are used by your doctor to close wounds to your skin or other tissues. When your doctor sutures a wound, they’ll use a needle attached to a length of “thread” to stitch the wound shut.

There are a variety of available materials that can be used for suturing. Your doctor will choose a material that’s appropriate for the wound or procedure.

The different types of sutures can be classified in many ways.

First, suture material can be classified as either absorbable or nonabsorbable. Nonabsorbable sutures will need to be removed by your doctor at a later date or in some cases left in permanently.

Second, the suture material can be classified according to the actual structure of the material. Monofilament sutures consist of a single thread. This allows the suture to more easily pass through tissues. Braided sutures consist of several small threads braided together. This can lead to better security, but at the cost of increased potential for infection.

Third, sutures can be classified as either being made from natural or synthetic material. However, since all suture material is sterilized, this distinction is not particularly useful.