Skip to main content
Annals of Surgery logoLink to Annals of Surgery
. 1976 Aug;184(2):189–193. doi: 10.1097/00000658-197608000-00010

Physical properties of surgical suture materials: Stress-strain relationship, stress-relaxation and irreversible elongation.

D E Holmlund
PMCID: PMC1344430  PMID: 952566

Abstract

The stress-strain relationship, the stress-relaxation and the irreversible elongation of different suture materials were investigated. It was found that the distensibility of the fibers varied greatly. Most fibers were found to be chiefly elastic but some fibers were elastic when a moderate load was applied and plastic when the load increased. Some fibers, especially Prolene, were plastic also when moderate load was applied. The importance of information concerning these and other physical properties of surgical suture material is pointed out. In the future, surgeons will not have to accept suture materials with unknown physical properties but will demand fibers with defined properties for every purpose.

Full text

PDF
192

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Herrmann J. B. Tensile strength and knot security of surgical suture materials. Am Surg. 1971 Apr;37(4):209–217. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Sanfelippo P. M., Danielson G. K. Nylon bands for closure of median sternotomy incisions: an unacceptable method. Ann Thorac Surg. 1972 Apr;13(4):404–406. doi: 10.1016/s0003-4975(10)64873-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Annals of Surgery are provided here courtesy of Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins

RESOURCES