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©2013 UpToDate ® Print Email Absorbable sutures Suture material Knot security Wound tensile strength Security (days)* Tissue reactivity Anatomic site Fast-absorbing gut Poor Least 4 to 6 Most Face Vicryl Rapide Good Fair 5 to 7 Minimal Face, scalp, under cast/splint Surgical gut Poor Fair 5 to 7 Most Face (rarely used) Poliglecaprone 25 (Monocryl) Good Fair 7 to 10 Minimal Face, consider in contaminated wounds needing deep closure Chromic gut Fair Fair 10 to 14 Most Mouth, tongue, nailbed Polyglactin (Vicryl) Good Good 30 Minimal Deep closure, nailbed, mouth Polyglycolic acid (Dexon) Best Good 30 Minimal Deep closure Polydioxanone (PDS) Fair Best 45 to 60 Least Deep closure Polyglyconate (Maxon) Fair Best 45 to 60 Least Deep closure * Retention of 50 percent of tensile strength. Adapted with permission from: Hollander, JE, Singer, AJ. Laceration management. Ann Emerg Med 1999; 34:356. Copyright © 1999 The American College of Emergency Physicians.