Experimental evidence for suture materials in colonic surgery

Sutures need to retain adequate tensile strength during key phases of anastomotic healing, and have a minimal local inflammatory response.

This study found that that some absorbable sutures lost strength too rapidly. However polydioxanone (PDS) had comparable strength to non-absorbable sutures.
Multifilament (braided) materials (silk in this study, which did not include Polyglactin 910/Vicryl) were found to produce a prolonged tissue response and harbour bacterial colonisation (image above).
Monofilament materials were least reactive and appeared least likely to delay healing (image below).

This study concluded that polydioxanone (PDS) sutures possessed the most desirable properties for anastomotic healing: