Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
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This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
Who uses it: surgeons and clinical teams who close soft tissue, and the clinic staff, buyers and students who need to read a suture specification correctly. In medical supply, polyglycolic acid (PGA) usually means an absorbable suture strand made from the polymer polyglycolide.
What polyglycolic acid is, and how it differs from PLGA
Polyglycolic acid is a synthetic polymer made from glycolic acid units, also called polyglycolide. In medical supply it is best known as the material of absorbable surgical sutures. FDA’s suture regulation describes an absorbable strand prepared from homopolymers of glycolide, and from copolymers of 90 percent glycolide and 10 percent l-lactide, for use in soft tissue approximation (21 CFR 878.4493). The homopolymer is the PGA case.
PGA is not the same as PLGA, a copolymer of lactic and glycolic acid used in other biomedical applications. For sutures made from a different glycolide-based polymer, see polyglyconate.
How a PGA suture is built
An FDA 510(k) summary for the DEXON Violet suture (K972566, decision 14 August 1997) describes a synthetic, braided, absorbable surgical suture composed of polyglycolic acid homopolymer, coated with a glycolide and epsilon-caprolactone copolymer. That summary is a historical clearance record, not current product labeling. The regulation itself leaves several construction choices open: the strand may be monofilament or multifilament (braided), uncoated or coated, undyed or dyed with an FDA-approved color additive, and supplied with or without a standard needle attached. For needle terminology, see suture needle types. For the wider suture category, see what is a suture.
How FDA classifies PGA sutures
The regulation 21 CFR 878.4493 places this suture in Class II (special controls). The special control named in the regulation is the FDA guidance document “Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Surgical Sutures; Guidance for Industry and FDA.” The regulation also states that the suture meets United States Pharmacopeia (U.S.P.) requirements for absorbable surgical sutures. A 2000 clearance for a PGA absorbable surgical suture (K002190, CP Medical) is listed under product code GAM and the same regulation. The regulation title names poly(glycolide/l-lactide); the glycolide homopolymer falls within its identification text.
How a PGA suture is absorbed
The K972566 summary states that tensile strength loss and absorption occur by hydrolysis, and that the polymer breaks down to glycolic acid, which the body metabolizes. Hydrolysis is a chemical breakdown by reaction with water. Strength-retention times differ by product and size, so use the manufacturer’s instructions for use for the specific suture rather than a general figure.
Types and variants
| Attribute | Options stated in 21 CFR 878.4493 |
|---|---|
| Strand form | Monofilament or multifilament (braided) |
| Surface | Uncoated or coated |
| Color | Undyed, or dyed with an FDA-approved color additive |
| Needle | With or without a standard needle attached |
| Polymer | Homopolymer of glycolide, or copolymer of 90 percent glycolide and 10 percent l-lactide |
| Regulatory class | Class II (special controls) |
What to confirm on a product specification
Each item below comes from the identification text of the regulation, so it is a fair attribute to confirm on a product’s labeling or specification sheet.
- That the product is labeled as an absorbable, sterile surgical suture.
- Whether the strand is monofilament or braided.
- Whether it is coated, and with what.
- Whether it is dyed or undyed.
- Whether a needle is attached.
- That the product states conformity to U.S.P. requirements for absorbable surgical sutures.
Braided PGA products sit alongside other braided closure materials in the braided sutures category.
Safe use and handling basics
The regulation describes a sterile, single strand device indicated for soft tissue approximation. The clearance summary for DEXON Violet lists general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation, including ophthalmic procedures, and states it is not cleared for cardiovascular or neurological procedures. That statement belongs to that 1997 clearance, so always follow the instructions for use supplied with the exact product, including its stated indications and cautions. This page does not describe clinical technique.
Common mistakes
- Treating PGA and PLGA as the same material. They are different polymers with different uses.
- Assuming every absorbable suture absorbs the same way. Compare the polymer and the labeling of each product, for example against what Monocryl suture is made of.
- Relying on a historical clearance summary instead of the current instructions for use.
FAQ
What is polyglycolic acid used for?
In medical supply it is used to make absorbable surgical sutures for soft tissue approximation, as described in 21 CFR 878.4493.
Is PGA absorbable?
Yes. The FDA clearance summary for a PGA suture states that strength loss and absorption occur by hydrolysis, and the regulation classifies the device as an absorbable suture.
Is a PGA suture monofilament or braided?
The regulation allows both. The DEXON Violet summary describes a braided, coated PGA suture.
Sources
- 21 CFR 878.4493, Absorbable poly(glycolide/l-lactide) surgical suture, eCFR: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/part-878/section-878.4493, checked 2026-10-30.
- FDA 510(k) K972566, DEXON Violet suture, decision 14 August 1997: https://fda.innolitics.com/submissions/SU/subpart-e%E2%80%94surgical-devices/GAM/K972566, checked 2026-10-30.
- FDA 510(k) K002190, Polyglycolic Acid (PGA) Absorbable Surgical Suture (USP), CP Medical, decision 10 August 2000: https://fda.innolitics.com/device/K002190, checked 2026-10-30.
