Background: There has been a constant effort to provide information on textile behaviour of suture materials in order to assist surgeons in their selection of adequate sutures for specific surgical applications. The aim of this study was to provide information on capillary behaviour and bacterial resistance of suture materials that assist practitioners and surgeons to get a better understanding of suture applications. A comparative experimental study between two different manufacturers was carried out during this work. Materials & Methods: Commercially available surgical sutures from two different manufacturers i.e. one from India (S) and another from abroad (J) were used, both consisting of monofilament and braided configuration. Effect of coating on the basis of capillary rise and bacterial resistance on various surgical sutures was analysed. Preparation of Simulated Body Fluid (SBF) was done, Capillary tests were done in a specific environmental condition and standard method, Optical density measurement was also done and specific bacterial culture was used. Results: Obtained results show that, coating seems to contribute a major role towards bacterial resistance and capillary rise in non-absorbable braided sutures and is found to be higher than absorbable ones depending on constituent fibre properties. Conclusion: This study clearly indicates that, apart from physical and chemical configuration of suture, coating is a major factor which contributes to bacterial attachment.
