History of Surgical Sutures

Sutures are a type of thread that holds together edges of wound or surgical incision. It can be used in both internal and external wounds and has been used since the beginning of recorded history. The history of sutures is long and storied. It begins with the first recorded use of sutures in ancient Egypt, around 3500 BC. At this time, the technique was used mainly on mummies.

The earliest evidence of human tissue being stitched together comes from around 1650 BC; however, it wasn’t until around 600 BC that people began using silk thread to sew wounds closed.

The first sutures were made from natural materials, such as animal intestines and silk. These materials were used because they were readily available, but they also had their drawbacks. The intestines could be difficult to manipulate and tie off, and the silk was often difficult to keep in place without some sort of backing material.

Silk was then replaced by nylon thread due to its strength and resistance to wear and tear; however, nylon had problems like lack of durability and difficulty with sterilization. Synthetic materials such as polypropylene and polyester were developed in response; they are now commonly used in medical surgeries today.