Suture Definitions

Question 1

Suture

Answer 1

materials used to bring severed body tissue together and holds in place for healing

Question 2

Natural

Answer 2

suture made from a living thing

Question 3

Synthetic

Answer 3

man-made suture

Question 4

Absorbable

Answer 4

suture that is capable of being broken down by body enzymes

Question 5

Plain

Answer 5

suture not treated for delayed absorption

Question 6

Chromic

Answer 6

suture treated with a chemical for delayed absorption

Question 7

Non-absorbable

Answer 7

suture, under normal circumstances, not capable of being broken down by body enzymes

Question 8

Monofilament

Answer 8

suture made from one strand of material

Question 9

Multifilament

Answer 9

suture made of many braided strands

Question 10

Capillary

Answer 10

the ability of a strand of suture to wick liquids

Question 11

Non-capillary

Answer 11

the inability of a strand of suture to wick liquids

Question 12

Memory

Answer 12

ability of the strand of suture to remember what the operator wants the suture to do

Question 13

Ligature

Answer 13

strand of suture material

Question 14

Surgical Gut

Answer 14

suture made from intestines

AKA: Cat Gut

Question 15

Approximation

Answer 15

the bringing together of tissue edges

Question 16

Primary Suture Line

Answer 16

line of sutures that approximate the edges of an incision

Question 17

Stay Suture

Answer 17

heavy, non-absorbable suture placed through tissue on each side and a short distance from the primary suture line to relieve tension

Question 18

Tensile Strenght

Answer 18

the amount of pull or weight necessary to break suture

Question 19

Gauge

Answer 19

diameter of suture material 
bigger number (with ought) = smaller