Analysis of the fracture morphology of polyamide, polyester, polypropylene, and silk sutures before and after implantation in vivo.

This study has analyzed fracture morphology of four nonabsorbable commercially available sutures before and after implantation in rats. Also, tensile and knot strength retention have been evaluated after 3 and 8 weeks in vivo. Scanning electron and optical light microscopes were used for analysis of fracture morphologies and surface changes of the sutures.