Suture

Surgical Sutures: What They Are and How They Are Used

A surgical suture is a sterile thread, usually attached to a needle, that doctors use to hold body tissues together after an injury or surgery until the tissue heals. In everyday language sutures are also called surgical thread, stitching thread or, in many parts of India, sucher. Strictly, the suture is the material and stitching is the technique of placing it.

Sutures close skin wounds, bring internal tissue layers back together, tie off blood vessels (ligation) and secure implants such as meshes and grafts. Medikabazaar stocks over 200 suture products for hospitals, operating theatres, clinics and dental practices, from general-purpose silk and catgut to fine monofilaments for ophthalmic, cardiac and microsurgical work.

Types of Sutures

Sutures are classified in three main ways: by how long they stay in the body, by how the thread is constructed, and by whether the raw material is natural or synthetic.

Absorbable vs Non-Absorbable Sutures

Absorbable sutures are broken down by the body over time, through enzymes or hydrolysis, so they do not need to be removed. They are used mainly for internal layers that need support only while healing takes place. Common examples are catgut, polyglactin 910, polyglycolic acid (PGA), poliglecaprone 25 and polydioxanone (PDO).

Non-absorbable sutures keep their strength for a long time and are either removed after healing (as in most skin closures) or left in place permanently where lasting support is needed, such as in vascular or hernia repair. Silk, nylon, polypropylene, polyester and stainless steel fall into this group.

Monofilament vs Braided Sutures

A monofilament suture is a single strand. It passes through tissue smoothly and offers fewer crevices for bacteria, but it has more "memory" and usually needs extra throws for a secure knot. A braided (multifilament) suture is several fine strands woven together. It is soft, easy to handle and holds knots well, though it can wick fluid along its length, which is why many braided sutures are coated.

Common Suture Materials Compared

Suture Sizes and Needles

How Suture Sizes Work

Suture thickness is commonly described with the USP sizing system. For the finer range, more zeros mean a thinner thread: 6-0 is finer than 3-0, and 3-0 is finer than 1-0. Above size 0, the numbers rise with thickness (1, 2 and so on). As a broad guide, very fine sizes such as 8-0 to 11-0 are used in eye and microsurgery, 5-0 to 6-0 in facial and plastic work, 3-0 to 4-0 in general skin closure, and 2-0 to 1 in fascia and other high-tension tissue. The operating surgeon decides the final size based on the tissue and the procedure.

Suture Needle Types

Most sutures today come with the needle attached to the thread (swaged or "atraumatic"), so only one strand passes through the tissue. Needles differ by point and curvature. Round-bodied (taper point) needles spread soft tissue such as bowel and blood vessels, while cutting and reverse cutting needles pierce tougher tissue such as skin. Curvature is described as a fraction of a circle, with 3/8 and 1/2 circle the most common. Each product code on a suture box captures this combination of material, size, thread length and needle.

Where Different Sutures Are Used

Suture choice varies widely by speciality. General surgery relies on absorbable braided sutures for internal layers and silk or polypropylene for ligation and closure. Obstetrics and gynaecology commonly use polyglactin 910 and chromic catgut, for example in caesarean and episiotomy repair. Cardiac and vascular surgeons prefer fine polypropylene and polyester for durable, low-reactivity anastomoses. Ophthalmic and microsurgical procedures use ultra-fine nylon and polypropylene in sizes such as 8-0 to 10-0. Dental and oral surgeons often choose silk or fast-absorbing synthetics for extraction sites, implant surgery and periodontal flaps, and orthopaedic teams use heavy polyester or steel. Skin closure after wound care and minor procedures typically uses nylon, polypropylene or a subcuticular absorbable suture.

How to Choose the Right Suture

There is no single best suture for every case; the right one matches the tissue, the healing time and the surgeon's handling preference. When comparing options, check:

• Absorption profile: how long the tissue needs support, and whether the suture will need removal.
• Tensile strength: a heavier gauge or stronger material for high-tension areas such as fascia; a finer one for delicate tissue.
• Structure: monofilament for lower tissue drag and infection-prone sites; braided for handling and knot security.
• Tissue reaction: synthetic materials generally cause less inflammation than natural ones such as catgut and silk.
• Needle: point type and curvature suited to the tissue and the access available.
• Thread length and pack size: standard boxes usually hold 12 sutures, and buying the right codes in box quantities avoids waste.
• Sterility and documentation: intact sterile packaging, clear lot numbers and expiry dates, and regulatory markings from the manufacturer.

For teaching and practice, many institutions keep separate training sutures so that sterile stock is reserved for patient use.

Suture Brands Available in India

Hospitals in India buy from both global and Indian manufacturers. On Medikabazaar you can compare sutures from Ethicon, Healthium, Meril, Lotus, Covidien, Mendx, Unisur, Centenial and Dolphin. Most brands offer an equivalent of each core material, sold under their own trade names, so a buyer can often match material, size and needle across brands and compare on price and availability. The brand filter on this page narrows the range quickly.

Suture Price: What Affects the Cost

Suture prices in India vary mainly with the material, needle type, thread length, size and brand. Natural materials such as silk and catgut are generally the most economical, while synthetic absorbables, fine monofilaments and specialist ophthalmic or cardiovascular sutures cost more. Very fine sizes and premium needles add to the price. On this page, listings range from under ₹200 per box for general-purpose silk to over ₹10,000 for microsurgical and specialist sutures. Prices are shown per pack, inclusive of GST, so you can compare the cost per suture across brands before ordering.

Buying Sutures Online in Bulk

Medikabazaar supplies sutures to hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and dental practices across India, with box-quantity ordering for regular theatre consumption. If you are restocking a widely used braided silk, the Lotus Silkus 3-0 silk suture is available in several needle and length codes, and the same product page lists related sizes. For other materials, use the filters to sort by brand and price, or open any product to check its code, needle and pack details.