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This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
Novafil is Medtronic’s monofilament nonabsorbable suture made of polybutester. Searchers who meet the name on a product list, alongside Surgipro, usually want to know what it is made of, how it differs from the polypropylene sutures sold next to it, and which sizes exist. The answers below are taken from Medtronic’s own product pages, checked on 2026-10-30.
What Novafil is
Novafil is a sterile, nonabsorbable, monofilament suture. Medtronic describes it as “composed of polybutester fiber for use in general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation”. Polybutester is the material of Novafil as Medtronic describes it; the name should not be read as a generic term for other brands’ sutures.
Who uses it: surgical teams use sutures, and procurement staff and students meet the product name in catalogues and instructions for use (IFU).
How it is built: polybutester versus polypropylene
Novafil is a single-strand (monofilament) polybutester suture, supplied clear or pigmented blue with copper phthalocyanine. Surgipro, the other name often searched with it, is a different material: Medtronic’s Surgipro page lists Surgipro as polypropylene and Surgipro II as polypropylene with ethylene. Both Surgipro lines are supplied clear or blue.
The Surgipro page lists these features: uniform diameter, maximum flexibility of the strand, excellent security with snug and flattened knots, minimal memory and reduced pig-tailing, and consistent knotting strength. For Novafil, Medtronic’s page cites a 1993 randomized trial of lower midline laparotomy wounds (Trimbos et al., Obstetrics and Gynecology) as the basis for its statement that Novafil produced less hypertrophic scarring than nylon. That is a manufacturer-cited claim from one trial, not a general finding about all polybutester sutures.
Novafil, Surgipro and Surgipro II compared
| Product | Material (per Medtronic) | Construction | Colours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novafil | Polybutester | Monofilament, nonabsorbable | Clear, or blue (copper phthalocyanine) |
| Surgipro | Polypropylene | Monofilament, nonabsorbable | Clear or blue |
| Surgipro II | Polypropylene with ethylene | Monofilament, nonabsorbable | Clear or blue |
Source: Medtronic Novafil and Surgipro product pages, checked 2026-10-30.
Sizes and uses
Size ranges differ by product. Medtronic lists the following.
| Product | Sizes listed by Medtronic |
|---|---|
| Novafil | 2 (5 metric) through 7-0 (0.5 metric) |
| Surgipro | 10-0, 6-0, and 2-0 through 2 |
| Surgipro II | 8-0 through 3-0 |
Medtronic’s Novafil page states the indication as general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation. Medtronic’s Surgipro page gives the same general indication and adds that it includes use in cardiovascular, ophthalmic and neural tissue, and lists no known contraindications. Those polypropylene suture uses and sizes belong to the Surgipro lines; this page does not attribute them to Novafil.
How to choose
The sourced differences are the material (polybutester versus polypropylene or polypropylene with ethylene), the available size range, and the indications each product page lists. Any decision beyond that belongs with the clinician and the manufacturer’s instructions for use, which Medtronic publishes through its manuals portal (manuals.medtronic.com). For the wider question of absorbable versus nonabsorbable material, see absorbable vs. non-absorbable sutures.
Safe use and handling basics
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use supplied with the product for handling, storage and sterility. General background on what sutures are is in what is a suture; a different category of suture is covered in the Quill SRS barbed suture guide.
Common mistakes
- Treating Novafil and Surgipro as the same product. Medtronic lists them with different materials and size ranges.
- Applying Surgipro’s indications (cardiovascular, ophthalmic, neural) to Novafil. Medtronic’s Novafil page states general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation.
- Reading the scarring comparison with nylon as a general claim. It is Medtronic’s citation of one 1993 trial.
FAQ
What is Novafil suture made of?
Polybutester, according to Medtronic. It is a nonabsorbable monofilament supplied clear or blue.
Is Novafil the same as Surgipro?
No. Medtronic lists Surgipro as polypropylene and Surgipro II as polypropylene with ethylene, and Novafil as polybutester.
What sizes does Novafil come in?
Medtronic lists size 2 (5 metric) through 7-0 (0.5 metric).
What polypropylene suture sizes does Medtronic list?
For Surgipro, 10-0, 6-0, and 2-0 through 2; for Surgipro II, 8-0 through 3-0.
Braided suture products sit in a separate catalogue category; see braided sutures.
Sources
- Medtronic, Novafil monofilament polybutester suture product page (nonabsorbable sutures), checked 2026-10-30: https://www.medtronic.com/en-ie/healthcare-professionals/products/wound-closure/sutures/nonabsorbable-sutures/novafil-monofilament-polybuster-suture.html
- Medtronic, Surgipro monofilament sutures product page (animal health site), checked 2026-10-30: https://www.medtronic.com/animal-health/en-gb/products/wound-closure/non-absorbable-sutures/surgipro-monofilament-sutures.html
- Medtronic manuals portal for instructions for use: https://manuals.medtronic.com/manuals/main/region
