Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
Short answer: Monocryl suture is made of poliglecaprone 25, a synthetic copolymer of glycolide and epsilon-caprolactone, supplied as a single strand (a monofilament). It is not gut and not braided. This page is for clinic staff, buyers and students who need to identify the product and tell the name variants apart.
What Monocryl suture is made of
Ethicon’s MONOCRYL Plus catalogue gives the material as poliglecaprone 25, a copolymer of glycolide and epsilon-caprolactone. The catalogue and Ethicon’s MONOCRYL product sheet describe it as a synthetic, absorbable monofilament, and the sheet states that it is absorbed by hydrolysis.
The US FDA’s AccessGUDID record for the MONOCRYL brand (Ethicon, LLC; public version date 2026-03-31; checked 2026-10-30) describes it as a “Violet Monofilament (Poliglecaprone 25), Absorbable Surgical Suture” that is sterile, single-use and prescription-only.
How it is built: monofilament, dyed or undyed
Monocryl is a single strand rather than several braided fibres. Ethicon supplies it dyed violet or undyed (the catalogue calls undyed “beige”). The manufacturer sheets give slightly different strength-retention figures for each colour, shown below. It is supplied as needled sutures and as ligatures.
Monocryl, Monocryl Plus and Stratafix: types and variants
“Monocryl” is a brand name, so searches for what Monocryl suture is, or for Monocryl Plus, lead to a small family of FDA-cleared products.
| Name | What the source says | FDA record |
|---|---|---|
| MONOCRYL (poliglecaprone 25), dyed and undyed | Monofilament absorbable suture, violet or undyed (Ethicon product sheet) | K960653 (decided 1996-03-28, dyed) and K964072 (decided 1996-12-18, undyed); Ethicon, Inc.; product code GAN |
| MONOCRYL Plus antibacterial | Monocryl with IRGACARE MP (triclosan); Ethicon lists in vitro activity against S. aureus, S. epidermidis, MRSA, MRSE, E. coli and K. pneumoniae (manufacturer claim) | K050845, decided 2005-06-29; Ethicon, Inc.; the record lists product code GAM |
| STRATAFIX Spiral MONOCRYL (Plus) knotless | A knotless tissue control device in the Monocryl family | K151200 (2015-08-13) and K221744 (2022-11-15) |
Source: openFDA 510(k) records, checked 2026-10-30. For product code GAN, openFDA lists the device name “Suture, Absorbable, Synthetic” as class 2 and an implant. The CFR section openFDA attaches to that code concerns absorbable surgical gut suture, so this page does not use it to describe the material.
Monocryl suture sizes and specifications that matter
The two Ethicon documents give slightly different figures. They are shown side by side rather than merged, and the numbers are the manufacturer’s approximations.
| Specification | Ethicon MONOCRYL product sheet | Ethicon MONOCRYL Plus catalogue |
|---|---|---|
| Size range | 6-0 to 1 (USP) | 2 through 6/0 |
| Strength remaining at 7 days | About 60% violet, 50% undyed | 60-70% dyed, 50-60% undyed (at 1 week) |
| Strength remaining at 14 days | About 30% violet, 20% undyed | 30-40% dyed, 20-30% undyed (at 2 weeks) |
| Strength at 21 or 28 days | 0% undyed at 21 days; 0% violet at 28 days | Not tabulated |
| Absorption | Essentially complete in 90-120 days | Completely absorbed in 91-119 days |
| Wound support | Not stated | Medium term (3-4 weeks) |
| Lengths shown | Not stated | 45, 70 and 90 cm |
Sources: Ethicon MONOCRYL product sheet and Ethicon MONOCRYL Plus catalogue (both checked 2026-10-30). Needle types vary by catalogue number; the catalogue holds the full matrix.
Monocryl suture uses, per the manufacturer
Ethicon’s product sheet states that Monocryl is intended for general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation where an absorbable material is indicated. It names subcuticular sutures, small intestine anastomoses and urological anastomoses as typical areas, and adds that full details are in the Instructions for Use included in every package. This page does not give procedure steps; the IFU governs use.
Choosing between names: what the sources support
- The Plus version is the one Ethicon describes as containing triclosan (IRGACARE MP).
- Colour (violet or undyed) changes the strength-retention figures on the sheets, so compare like with like.
- The IFU in each package, not a catalogue, states indications and warnings.
Safe handling basics
FDA’s AccessGUDID record lists the device as sterile, single use and prescription-only, and not a kit. Storage, handling and disposal details are in the IFU supplied with the product.
Common mistakes
- Calling Monocryl gut or braided. It is a synthetic monofilament. For gut, see what chromic gut suture is made of; for another synthetic monofilament, see polyglyconate.
- Quoting one absorption number. The two Ethicon documents give 90-120 and 91-119 days.
- Treating Monocryl and Monocryl Plus as the same product. Plus adds triclosan and has its own 510(k).
For the wider picture, read what a suture is and the absorbable versus non-absorbable sutures comparison. Buyers comparing constructions can also browse braided sutures, a different construction from Monocryl.
FAQ
What is Monocryl suture made of?
Poliglecaprone 25, a copolymer of glycolide and epsilon-caprolactone, as a monofilament (Ethicon MONOCRYL Plus catalogue, checked 2026-10-30).
Is Monocryl absorbable?
Yes. Ethicon’s sheets say it absorbs by hydrolysis, essentially complete in 90-120 days (product sheet) or 91-119 days (catalogue).
What sizes does Monocryl suture come in?
Ethicon’s product sheet gives 6-0 to 1 (USP) for Monocryl; the Monocryl Plus catalogue gives 2 through 6/0, in lengths of 45, 70 and 90 cm. Needle types vary by catalogue number.
What is Monocryl suture used for?
Ethicon’s product sheet states it is intended for general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation where an absorbable material is indicated; the Instructions for Use in each package govern use.
What is Monocryl Plus?
Monocryl with IRGACARE MP (triclosan), cleared by FDA under K050845 in 2005.
Sources
All links checked 2026-10-30.
- openFDA device classification, product code GAN: https://api.fda.gov/device/classification.json?search=product_code:GAN
- openFDA 510(k) records for Monocryl: https://api.fda.gov/device/510k.json?search=device_name:monocryl
- FDA AccessGUDID via openFDA UDI, brand MONOCRYL: https://api.fda.gov/device/udi.json?search=brand_name:monocryl
- Ethicon MONOCRYL product sheet: https://res.onemed.com/SE/Produktblad/415830.pdf
- Ethicon MONOCRYL Plus catalogue: https://www.eboshealthcare.com.au/globalassets/ebos-au/microsites/jj-ethicon/monocryl-plus-catalogue.pdf
