Plain Catgut Sutures

What Catgut Plain Sutures Are

Progut is the brand name for the catgut suture range from Dolphin Sutures within the absorbable-sutures category. Catgut Plain is a natural absorbable suture intended for soft-tissue approximation and ligation where temporary wound support is appropriate. It is supplied uncoated and in an ivory (undyed) colour, and it is indicated for general closure, obstetric and gynaecological procedures, and gastro-intestinal tract surgery.

Composition and Construction

Catgut Plain is manufactured from intestinal submucosa. The natural ribbons are longitudinally slit, then twisted and polished so that the finished strand takes on a virtually monofilament character. This natural-collagen construction gives the suture its characteristic handling while remaining fully absorbable within the tissue.

Characteristics and Handling

Being a natural material, Catgut Plain is absorbed through an enzymatic mechanism rather than the hydrolytic process seen in synthetic absorbables, so its absorption is inherently less predictable and may proceed faster in infected tissue. Tensile strength is typically lost within approximately 15 to 18 days, and individual patient factors can influence both strength retention and absorption rate. Tissue reactivity is characterised as Grade-1 (slight). In use, the suture is designed to pass smoothly through tissue and to hold knots securely, and it is offered with needles made from 300-series alloy steel.

Sizes and Presentations

Catgut Plain is available across a broad USP range — 6-0, 5-0, 4-0, 3-0, 2-0, 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 — to suit varied tissue types and procedures. Needled options are supplied in configurations such as 3/8-circle cutting and 3/8-circle round-body needles in a range of needle lengths, with standard suture lengths, giving surgeons flexibility in needle geometry and strand size.