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简体中文Polyglycolic Acid (PGA) Sutures
Polyglycolic acid (PGA) is a synthetic absorbable suture material made from 100% glycolide, usually braided into a multifilament strand and coated to ease passage through tissue. It is broken down in the body by hydrolysis rather than by enzyme activity, which is what distinguishes it from catgut.
Why it matters
PGA was among the first synthetic absorbable materials to replace catgut in routine soft-tissue closure, and the reason is mechanistic: hydrolysis depends on water reaching the polymer, whereas catgut is broken down by enzymes, a process that varies with the patient's inflammatory response. Understanding which mechanism a material uses is what lets a clinician reason about how it will behave in a given tissue bed — and it is the first thing to establish before reading any figure in the instructions for use.
How PGA behaves in tissue
PGA is absorbed by hydrolysis: water reaches the polymer backbone and cleaves it, and the strand loses tensile strength before it loses mass. Those two things happen on different timelines, and the gap between them is the reason strength-retention and absorption are quoted as separate figures in the instructions for use rather than as a single number.
The contrast with catgut is the clinically meaningful one. Catgut is purified collagen and is broken down by proteolytic enzymes, so its behaviour is coupled to the patient’s inflammatory response — a variable that belongs to the patient rather than to the material. Hydrolysis is not coupled to it in the same way. This is a difference in mechanism, and it is what a clinician is reasoning about when choosing between the two; it is not, on its own, a statement that either material performs better.
Homopolymer against copolymer
PGA is 100% glycolide. Polyglactin 910 is a copolymer of roughly 90% glycolide and 10% L-lactide. Both are braided, coated, synthetic and hydrolytically absorbed, and they are routinely discussed as if interchangeable, but the lactide fraction is a real compositional difference and each material’s profile is stated separately in its own instructions for use.
Dolphin Sutures first brought PGA suture to the Indian market under the brand name Petcryl, which was the first synthetic absorbable suture manufactured in India.
Construction: why the braid is coated
Braiding many fine filaments into one strand is what gives PGA its pliability and the way it seats a knot. The same construction leaves interstices between the filaments and gives the strand surface texture, which is why a braided suture is coated — the coating is a response to the construction, not an addition to it.
Coating is also where capillarity enters the discussion. Capillarity is a property of multifilament construction, and whether it matters is a question about the surgical field rather than about the suture on the shelf.
Key terminology
- Glycolide
- The cyclic dimer of glycolic acid. Polymerised, it forms polyglycolic acid — the sole constituent of PGA suture, as distinct from copolymer materials that blend glycolide with lactide.
- Hydrolysis
- Breakdown of the polymer by reaction with water. It proceeds by loss of tensile strength first, then loss of mass, and is the absorption mechanism for all synthetic absorbable sutures.
- Multifilament / braided
- A strand built from many fine filaments braided together. Braiding gives pliability and knot security; it also creates interstices, which is why braided sutures are coated.
- Coating
- A surface layer applied to a braid to reduce drag through tissue and smooth knot tie-down. On PGA this is typically polycaprolactone with calcium stearate.
- Capillarity
- The tendency of a multifilament strand to draw fluid along its length. A property of braid construction, relevant when selecting for a contaminated or infected field.
- USP
- United States Pharmacopeia. Sets the gauge and tensile-strength requirements a suture must meet at each size. The European Pharmacopoeia (EP) sets a parallel standard.
Technical characteristics
- Composition
- 100% glycolide (homopolymer)
- Construction
- Braided multifilament
- Coating
- Polycaprolactone and calcium stearate
- Absorption mechanism
- Hydrolysis — loss of tensile strength precedes loss of mass
- Colour
- Available dyed (violet) and undyed
- Strength retention & absorption period
- Stated in the instructions for use supplied with the product — these are product-specific and are not reproduced here.
- Indications
- Stated in the instructions for use. PGA is not indicated for every tissue type; the IFU specifies the exclusions.
- Standards
- Manufactured to meet the USP and EP requirements for synthetic absorbable surgical sutures
How it compares
| Material | Origin | Construction | Absorption mechanism |
|---|---|---|---|
| PGA | Synthetic (100% glycolide) | Braided multifilament | Hydrolysis |
| Polyglactin 910 | Synthetic (glycolide/L-lactide copolymer) | Braided multifilament | Hydrolysis |
| Poliglecaprone | Synthetic (glycolide/caprolactone copolymer) | Monofilament | Hydrolysis |
| Polydioxanone | Synthetic (p-dioxanone) | Monofilament | Hydrolysis |
| Catgut | Natural (purified collagen) | Twisted | Enzymatic (proteolytic) |
What clinicians weigh when selecting
Absorption profile against healing time
The relevant question is how long the tissue needs support, read against the strength-retention profile in the product's instructions for use. A material that outlasts the need is not automatically the safer choice.
Braided against monofilament
Braided strands are generally more pliable and hold knots readily; monofilaments have no interstices and no capillarity. Both properties matter, and they point in different directions depending on the field.
Tissue bed and contamination
Capillarity is a property of braid construction, and its relevance depends on whether the field is clean, contaminated or infected. This is a judgement about the case, not about the material.
Coated against uncoated
Coating reduces drag and smooths tie-down. The trade-off between passage and knot security is a matter of surgeon preference and technique.
Gauge and needle
USP size governs the strength the strand is required to meet. Needle geometry is selected against the tissue rather than the suture material.
Regulatory status in your market
Approved indications differ by market. The instructions for use supplied with the product in your country is the governing document.
Frequently asked questions
Is PGA the same as polyglactin 910?
No. Polyglactin 910 is a copolymer of glycolide and L-lactide; PGA is a homopolymer of 100% glycolide. Both are synthetic, braided and absorbed by hydrolysis, but they are different materials with different profiles, each stated in its own instructions for use.
How is PGA absorbed?
By hydrolysis — reaction with water in the tissue. The strand loses tensile strength first and mass afterwards. This differs from catgut, which is broken down by enzymes.
How long does PGA take to absorb?
The absorption period is product-specific and is stated in the instructions for use supplied with the product. We do not publish absorption figures outside that document, because the IFU is the controlled source.
Is PGA suitable for all procedures?
No suture material is. The approved indications, and the tissue types a product is not indicated for, are stated in its instructions for use.
What sizes is PGA available in?
Gauge availability is product-specific. See the product page for the codes and sizes offered, and the instructions for use for the specification each size meets.
Why is PGA suture coated?
A braided strand has surface texture that creates drag as it passes through tissue. A coating smooths passage and knot tie-down. PGA is typically coated with polycaprolactone and calcium stearate.
Instructions for use
The instructions for use supplied with the product is the controlled document for indications, contraindications, strength-retention and absorption data, warnings and precautions. Where this article and the instructions for use differ, the instructions for use govern. Approved indications vary by market.
Medical & regulatory notice
This article is general reference information about a suture material for healthcare professionals. It is not medical advice, not a recommendation for any procedure or patient, and not a substitute for the instructions for use supplied with the product or for clinical judgement. Product availability and approved indications vary by market. Dolphin Sutures manufactures surgical sutures; nothing here should be read as a claim of clinical benefit or of superiority over another material.