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Catgut sutures are made from animal intestines, historically from sheep but also from dogs and goats. The term “catgut” comes from “kitgut,” used for violin strings made from animal intestines. Catgut is strong and absorbent, but alternatives like synthetic sutures are gaining popularity. Chromic catgut sutures last longer and can be removed once a wound has healed. The process for making catgut sutures involves removing and treating the intestines to ensure they are sterile.
A catgut suture is a suture material made from the collagen found in the intestines of animals. Sheep have historically been used as a source of catgut, although dogs and goats have also been used. Despite the name, catgut sutures actually have nothing to do with cats. While it would theoretically be possible to derive catgut from cats, the yield would not be very impressive compared to that of a larger animal.
The origins of the term “catgut” appear to come from “kitgut”, a word derived from “kit” for “violin”. Kitgut violin strings were made from the worked intestines of animals such as sheep, and over time, the word was corrupted to “catgut.” Confusion over the term persists to this day, and inaccuracies about the source of the material used to make catgut have been perpetuated in numerous books, including supposedly authoritative histories.
Catgut has been used by humans for centuries. It is extremely strong and durable and can be used to string musical instruments along with tennis rackets. For suturing, catgut is a popular material because it is absorbent and can be treated to make it sterile. However, alternatives to collagen suture materials such as synthetic sutures and cotton sutures have gained popularity in many regions of the world, with catgut mostly seen in developing countries because it is an affordable suture material.
A basic collagen-based suture will absorb into the body very quickly, eliminating the need to remove stitches. Chromic catgut sutures, treated with chromium salts, have a longer life and can persist up to 90 days. These sutures are chosen when a surgeon is concerned that a wound will not have time to heal before normal sutures are absorbed. In some cases, chromic catgut sutures may be removed once a surgeon is satisfied that a wound has healed, so that the patient does not experience the itching and irritation associated with suture absorption as the sutures heal. they break slowly.
The process for making this type of suture silk involves removing and scraping the intestines before immersing them in various chemicals for treatment, grading, packing and sterilizing them to ensure no infectious material is present. Although it may seem strange to use the intestine for sutures, when the treatment process is finished, a catgut suture contains mostly collagen and is quite far from its original state.
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