Introduction

Wound closure biomaterials and devices concern every surgeon. Every operation requires the use of biomaterials to close the wound for subsequent successful healing. The wound closure biomaterials required depend, to some extent, on the type of wound to be closed; however, all wound closure biomaterials must retain adequate tensile strength during the critical period of healing. In general, wound closure biomaterials are divided into three major categories: suture materials, staplers/ligating clips, and tissue adhesives. One of the greatest concerns surrounding all wound closure biomaterials is the degree of tissue response. The degree of tissue reaction depends not only on the chemical and physical nature of the wound closure biomaterials and the type of tissues, but also on the mass of the biomaterials and the duration of their presence in the tissue. The traditional way of choosing wound closure biomaterials, particularly with suture materials, is gradually becoming inappropriate.