Polyglycolic acid sutures in genitourinary surgery

One hundred ten patients undergoing genitourinary surgery were sutured with PGA (polyglycolic acid) sutures. Seventy-one of these were also sutured with plain or chromic catgut, and/or nylon. There were no suture failures and no signs of wound breakdown. PGA sutures handled well, had minimal tissue reaction, and showed sufficient strength and knot security even in the presence of free-flowing urine. There was no superiority shown by the control sutures, and there appears to be no reason why PGA sutures should not be used in the urinary tract.