English
Español
Français
Português
Русский
العربية
Deutsch
Türkçe
Bahasa Indonesia
Tiếng Việt
ไทย
简体中文
Polyglactin 910 vs Poliglecaprone 25 vs Polydioxanone
Polyglactin 910, poliglecaprone 25 and polydioxanone are the three workhorse synthetic absorbable sutures. All three are absorbed by hydrolysis, but they differ in construction, in how long they hold a wound and in how long the material persists — and those differences, rather than any ranking, decide which is used where.
Why it matters
Between them these three materials cover most absorbable closures, and they are easy to confuse because all three dissolve. What separates them is the shape of their strength profile: one gives short support, one intermediate, one extended. Choosing well means matching that profile to how quickly the tissue heals — and remembering that strength loss and absorption do not run in the same order.
Three materials, one mechanism
All three are synthetic polyesters absorbed by hydrolysis: water progressively cuts the polymer chains, the suture loses strength and the fragments are cleared. Because hydrolysis does not depend on enzymes, absorption is relatively predictable and tissue reaction is low compared with catgut. What differs is the chemistry of each polymer, and with it the rate at which each loses strength and is absorbed.
Polyglactin 910 is a copolymer of glycolide and lactide, usually braided and coated. Poliglecaprone 25 is a copolymer of glycolide and caprolactone, made as a monofilament. Polydioxanone is a polymer of paradioxanone, also a monofilament. Each has its own article — polyglactin 910, poliglecaprone and polydioxanone — and this page compares them directly.
How long each one holds
The most important difference is the length of support. Of the three, poliglecaprone 25 loses its strength fastest and suits tissues that heal quickly; polyglactin 910 provides intermediate support; polydioxanone retains its strength the longest and is chosen where a tissue needs to be held for an extended period.
The exact strength-retention profile of each product is stated in its instructions for use and should be read there. The ordering — short, intermediate, extended — is what distinguishes the three in practice.
Absorption runs in a different order
Strength loss and absorption are separate clocks, and here they do not line up. Polyglactin 910 is absorbed the quickest of the three, even though poliglecaprone 25 loses its strength sooner; poliglecaprone takes longer to be cleared despite giving up its support first. Polydioxanone is the slowest on both counts.
This is the comparison most often misread. A suture that is absorbed quickly is not necessarily the one that stops holding first, so selection should rest on the strength-retention profile — how long the wound is supported — rather than on how soon the material disappears. The distinction is explained further in how long dissolvable stitches take to dissolve.
Construction and handling
Polyglactin 910 is braided, which gives it soft handling and secure knots, and it is coated to reduce drag through tissue. Being braided, it has the interstices and textured surface that a monofilament lacks — relevant in contaminated wounds, as set out in monofilament vs braided sutures.
Poliglecaprone 25 and polydioxanone are monofilaments: smooth, with low tissue drag and no internal spaces. Poliglecaprone is notably pliable for a monofilament; polydioxanone is stiffer and has more memory, so it needs more care when tying. As with any monofilament, knot security depends on technique, covered in what makes a surgical knot hold.
Where each is typically used
Poliglecaprone 25’s short support and smooth monofilament surface make it a common choice for subcuticular skin closure and for soft tissues that heal quickly. Polyglactin 910 is a general-purpose absorbable used across soft-tissue approximation and ligation, including subcutaneous layers and the gastrointestinal tract.
Polydioxanone’s extended support suits slow-healing tissues and closures under sustained tension, such as fascia, and situations where a monofilament with prolonged support is preferred. These are general patterns; approved indications for a given product are defined in its instructions for use and vary between markets.
Key terminology
- Polyglactin 910
- A braided, coated synthetic absorbable suture made from a copolymer of glycolide and lactide.
- Poliglecaprone 25
- A monofilament synthetic absorbable suture made from a copolymer of glycolide and caprolactone.
- Polydioxanone
- A monofilament synthetic absorbable suture made from paradioxanone, known for extended strength retention.
- Strength-retention profile
- How a suture’s tensile strength declines over time after implantation — the basis for comparing absorbables.
- Mass absorption
- The point at which the suture material has been cleared from tissue, which comes after strength is lost.
- Memory
- A strand’s tendency to return to its packaged shape; more pronounced in stiffer monofilaments.
- Hydrolysis
- Breakdown of the polymer by water — the absorption mechanism shared by all three materials.
Technical characteristics
- Construction
- Polyglactin 910: braided, coated · Poliglecaprone 25: monofilament · Polydioxanone: monofilament
- Strength support (relative)
- Poliglecaprone 25 shortest · polyglactin 910 intermediate · polydioxanone longest
- Mass absorption (relative)
- Polyglactin 910 fastest · poliglecaprone 25 intermediate · polydioxanone slowest
- Absorption mechanism
- Hydrolysis (all three)
- Handling
- Polyglactin 910 soft · poliglecaprone 25 pliable · polydioxanone stiffer, more memory
- Tissue reaction
- Low for all three
- Common sterilisation
- Ethylene oxide
- Dolphin Sutures equivalents
- Petcryl 910 · Petcryl Mono · Duracryl
How it compares
| Attribute | Polyglactin 910 | Poliglecaprone 25 | Polydioxanone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | Braided, coated | Monofilament | Monofilament |
| Strength support | Intermediate | Shortest | Longest |
| Mass absorption | Fastest | Intermediate | Slowest |
| Handling | Soft, secure knots | Pliable, smooth | Stiffer, more memory |
| Typical uses | General soft tissue, ligation, GI, subcutaneous | Subcuticular skin, fast-healing soft tissue | Fascia, slow-healing tissue, sustained tension |
| Dolphin Sutures equivalent | Petcryl 910 | Petcryl Mono | Duracryl |
What clinicians weigh when selecting
How long the tissue needs support
The deciding factor. Fast-healing tissue suits short support; slow-healing or high-tension tissue needs the extended support of polydioxanone.
Strength profile, not absorption time
Choose on how long the suture holds, not how quickly it disappears — the two run in a different order across these materials.
Monofilament or braid
Contamination and tissue drag favour the monofilaments; the handling and knot security of a braid favour polyglactin 910.
Handling at the table
Polydioxanone’s stiffness and memory call for careful knotting; poliglecaprone 25 and polyglactin 910 handle more easily.
Cosmetic skin closure
For subcuticular closure, a smooth, short-support monofilament such as poliglecaprone 25 is commonly chosen.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between polyglactin 910, poliglecaprone 25 and polydioxanone?
All three are synthetic absorbable sutures absorbed by hydrolysis. Polyglactin 910 is braided and gives intermediate support; poliglecaprone 25 is a monofilament with the shortest support; polydioxanone is a monofilament with the longest support. The choice follows how long the tissue needs to be held.
Which of the three lasts the longest?
Polydioxanone retains its strength the longest and is also absorbed the slowest. It is chosen where a tissue heals slowly or the closure is under sustained tension.
Why does poliglecaprone 25 lose strength faster but take longer to absorb than polyglactin 910?
Because strength loss and absorption are separate processes. Poliglecaprone 25 loses its load-bearing strength quickly while the material itself is cleared more slowly; polyglactin 910 holds longer but is absorbed sooner. Selection should be based on the strength profile.
Which is used for subcuticular skin closure?
A smooth, short-support monofilament such as poliglecaprone 25 is a common choice, because it glides through tissue and its support matches the healing of skin. Approved indications are set out in each product’s instructions for use.
Is a braided or a monofilament absorbable better?
Neither is better in general. The braid of polyglactin 910 gives soft handling and secure knots; the monofilaments present less surface to bacteria and less tissue drag. The wound and the site decide.
What are the Dolphin Sutures equivalents of these materials?
Petcryl 910 is polyglactin 910, Petcryl Mono is poliglecaprone 25 and Duracryl is polydioxanone.
Instructions for use
This article compares three absorbable suture materials in general terms. Strength-retention and absorption profiles, indications and contraindications for a particular product are stated in its instructions for use, which is the controlled document and the only correct source for them.
Medical & regulatory notice
This article is general reference information for healthcare professionals about classes of device. It is not a substitute for the instructions for use supplied with any product, it is not clinical guidance, and it does not describe the regulatory status of any particular device in any market. Product availability, indications and classification differ between jurisdictions. Clinical decisions about a patient are for the treating clinician.