Product Manual

The mode of operation of a suture is the creation of a loop
of fixed perimeter secured in the geometry by a knot.
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A tied suture has three components (Figure 1). First, the
loop created by the knot maintains the approximation of
the divided wound edges. Second, the knot is composed of
a number of throws snugged against each other. A throw
is a wrapping or weaving of two strands. Finally, the “ears”
act as insurance that the loop will not become untied
because of knot slippage. The doctor’s side of the knot is
defined as the side of the knot with “ears,” or the side to
which tension is applied during tying. The patient’s side is
the portion of the knot adjacent to the loop.
IV. components of a knotted suture loop using either
a granny knot type or a square knot type
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Figure 1. The components of a tied suture.