A thread made from part of the intestines of sheep, now usually artificially hardened, used to sew up cuts made during surgery.
Chemically treated suture (sewing) material made from the tissues of mammals and used in surgery; also shortened to gut.
A fibrous material prepared from the tissues of animals, usually from the walls of sheep intestines, twisted into strands of different thicknesses and used to sew up wounds and tie off blood vessels during surgery. The catgut gradually dissolves and is absorbed by the tissues, so that the stitches do not have to be removed later. This also minimizes the possibility of long-term irritation at the site of operation. Some catgut is treated with chromic acid for different periods during manufacture. This gives catguts of various lives, lasting for different lengths of time before absorption is complete.
A traditional absorbable suture used in surgery for tying cut arteries and stitching wounds. Consisting of twisted collagen (from sheep or cattle intestines), catgut is absorbed by phagocytes over a variable period. There are two types: plain, and chromatised or chromic. Synthetic absorbable sutures cause less reaction, have a predictable absorption period and are mote effective.
Sheep intestine (primarily the submucosal layer) processed for use as an absorbable ligature.
A material obtained from the innards of sheep and other animals, utilized for internal stitching or for binding blood vessels. Eventually, this material is absorbed by the body.