Direct comparison
Vicryl vs Monocryl: Absorption and Strength Loss
Vicryl (braided polyglactin 910) vs Monocryl (monofilament poliglecaprone 25): construction, absorption days, strength loss and FDA codes from Ethicon sheets.
Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
Ask CASRAI · free to try
Ask about Vicryl vs Monocryl: Absorption and Strength Loss
Ask your first 2 questions free below. Subscribers get 150 a day for $29 a month.
An AI assistant specialized in research administration. It cites the sources behind every answer, labels web answers and says when it can't answer.
Answers draw on CASRAI's guides and dictionary plus the federal and funder documents we index: Federal Register, Grants.gov, Regulations.gov and UKRI.
Works on this site and inside Claude, Cursor and the AI tools you already use.
Everything CASRAI publishes — this page, the dictionary, the guides and the news — stays free to read, with no account and no card.
How do Vicryl (polyglactin 910), Monocryl (poliglecaprone 25) compare side by side?
The table below compares Vicryl (polyglactin 910), Monocryl (poliglecaprone 25) across 11 procurement-relevant dimensions, from material through source.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | Vicryl (polyglactin 910) | Monocryl (poliglecaprone 25) |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Polyglactin 910 (Ethicon product listing for VICRYL V549G). | Poliglecaprone 25, a copolymer of glycolide and epsilon-caprolactone (Ethicon MONOCRYL Plus catalogue); a synthetic suture. |
| Construction | Braided (J&J MedTech page for Coated VICRYL Plus: synthetic, absorbable, braided sutures). | Monofilament; the Ethicon sheet describes it as giving smooth passage through tissue and minimal tissue reaction. |
| Absorbable? | Yes. Listed as absorbable. | Yes. Absorbable by hydrolysis. |
| Stated absorption time | 56-70 days (Ethicon listing for VICRYL V549G; J&J MedTech: fully absorbed within approximately 56 to 70 days). | Essentially complete in 90-120 days (Ethicon MONOCRYL sheet). MONOCRYL Plus catalogue: completely absorbed in 91-119 days. |
| Tensile strength remaining (Monocryl sheet) | Absorption time is the figure given for Vicryl on the pages cited: 56-70 days. | Violet: about 60% at 7 days, 30% at 14 days, 0% at 28 days. Undyed: about 50% at 7 days, 20% at 14 days, 0% at 21 days. |
| Colour | Violet (listing for VICRYL V549G). | Violet or undyed. |
| Manufacturer-stated use | Coated VICRYL Plus: closing various tissue layers, including the peritoneum, fascia and skin; see the package insert. | General soft tissue approximation and/or ligation where an absorbable material is indicated; typical areas listed are subcuticular, small intestine anastomoses and urological anastomoses. Full details in the instructions for use. |
| Variants | Coated VICRYL, Vicryl Plus Antibacterial and Vicryl Rapide are FDA 510(k) clearances under product code GAM. | MONOCRYL and MONOCRYL Plus (triclosan-containing; sheet quotes slightly different retention and absorption figures than plain MONOCRYL). |
| FDA classification (openFDA, read 2026-10-30) | Product code GAM, Suture, Absorbable, Synthetic, Polyglycolic Acid: Class II, 21 CFR 878.4493. Example clearance: K022269 Coated VICRYL, 2002-09-13. | Product code GAN, Suture, Absorbable, Synthetic: Class II. Example clearances: K960653 (dyed) 1996-03-28 and K964072 (undyed) 1996-12-18, MONOCRYL. |
| When to pick each | Per the manufacturer pages: a braided absorbable suture with a stated 56-70 day absorption time. Selection is a clinician decision under the instructions for use. | Per the manufacturer sheet: a monofilament with smooth passage through tissue and tensile strength gone by 21-28 days and absorption stated as 90-120 days. Selection is a clinician decision under the instructions for use. |
| Source | Ethicon EPC listing V549G (ethicon.com/emea/epc/code/v549g); J&J MedTech Coated VICRYL page; 21 CFR 878.4493; openFDA 510(k) database. Read 2026-10-30. | Ethicon MONOCRYL product sheet (res.onemed.com/SE/Produktblad/415830.pdf); Ethicon MONOCRYL Plus catalogue; openFDA 510(k) and classification databases. Read 2026-10-30. |
Common questions
Common questions about Vicryl (polyglactin 910) vs Monocryl (poliglecaprone 25)
What type of suture is Vicryl?
+
Vicryl is a synthetic, absorbable suture made of polyglactin 910, described by J&J MedTech as braided. Ethicon lists an absorption time of 56-70 days for the VICRYL V549G product.
What type of suture material is Monocryl?
+
Monocryl is a synthetic, absorbable monofilament suture made of poliglecaprone 25, a copolymer of glycolide and epsilon-caprolactone. It is supplied violet or undyed, in sizes 6-0 to 1 (USP).
Are Monocryl and Vicryl the same?
+
No. Both are Ethicon synthetic absorbable sutures, but Vicryl is braided polyglactin 910 and Monocryl is monofilament poliglecaprone 25. Their FDA product codes also differ: GAM for the Vicryl clearances and GAN for Monocryl.
Which dissolves faster, Monocryl or Vicryl?
+
On the manufacturer figures, Vicryl is absorbed sooner (56-70 days) than Monocryl (90-120 days). Strength is a different measure: Monocryl retains no tensile strength after 21 days (undyed) or 28 days (violet).
