Absorbable sutures

Suture material	Knot security	Wound tensile strength	Security (days)*	Tissue reactivity	Anatomic site
Fast-absorbing gut	Poor	Least	4 to 6	Most	Face
Vicryl Rapide	Good	Fair	5 to 7	Minimal	Face, scalp, under cast/splint
Surgical gut	Poor	Fair	5 to 7	Most	Face (rarely used)
Poliglecaprone 25 (Monocryl)	Good	Fair	7 to 10	Minimal	Face, consider in contaminated wounds needing deep closure
Chromic gut	Fair	Fair	10 to 14	Most	Mouth, tongue, nailbed
Polyglactin (Vicryl)	Good	Good	30	Minimal	Deep closure, nailbed, mouth
Polyglycolic acid (Dexon)	Best	Good	30	Minimal	Deep closure
Polydioxanone (PDS)	Fair	Best	45 to 60	Least	Deep closure
Polyglyconate (Maxon)	Fair	Best	45 to 60	Least	Deep closure

* Retention of 50 percent of tensile strength.

Graphic 51741 Version 3.0