Knot security of synthetic absorbable suture material; a comparison of polyglycolic acid and polyglactin-910

To compare the knot reliabilities of two kinds of synthetic absorbable suture material, twelve different knots commonly used in surgical practice were tested. Twenty tests were performed on each knot, i.e., ten with Dexon-S® (uncoated) and ten with Vicryl® (coated). The knots made with Dexon-S® were found to slip less frequently, to be significantly stronger, more consistent, and more reproducible than those made with Vicryl®. It was concluded that uncoated Dexon-S® is superior to coated Vicryl® with respect to knot reliability. The practical implications of these findings for surgical performance are discussed. It is emphasized that surgeons should be more aware of the relationship of the holding power of surgical knots to not only the knot-tying technique but also the kind of suture material used. © 1985.