Braided Surgical silk

Sutures remain the most common method of tpproximating the divided edges of tissue (1). Sutures are categorised by size, material, design and behaviour. Absorbable and nonabsorbable materials are further divided into synthetic versus natural products, some of vdiich can be fabricated in braided and/or monofilament form. Non-absorbable sutures have played an important role in the development of surgical procedures, generally made of silk, polyamide, polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene and poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (2). 

Silk filaments obtained from the cocoon of the silkworm (Bombyx mori) have been used for textile production since sericulture was originally developed in China many centuries ago. And since braided silk filaments have been used as surgical sutures for several decades, silk is recognized as a biocompatible and cytocompatible biomaterial. When winding their cocoons the silkworm... 

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