Thread size
| USP | metric | mm range |
|---|---|---|
| 11-0 | 0.1 | 0.010-0.019 |
| 10-0 | 0.2 | 0.020-0.029 |
| 9-0 | 0.3 | 0.030-0.039 |
| 8-0 | 0.4 | 0.040-0.049 |
| 7-0 | 0.5 | 0.050-0.059 |
| 6-0 | 0.7 | 0.070-0.079 |
| 5-0 | 1 | 0.100-0.149 |
| 4-0 | 1.5 | 0.150-0.199 |
| 3-0 | 2 | 0.200-0.249 |
| 2-0 | 2.5 | 0.250-0.299 |
| 1-0 | 3 | 0.300-0.349 |
| 0 | 3.5 | 0.350-0.399 |
| 1 | 4th | 0.400-0.499 |
| 2 | 5 | 0.500-0.599 |
| 3 + 4 | 6th | 0.600-0.699 |
| 5 | 7th | 0.700-0.799 |
| 6th | 8th | 0.800-0.899 |
| 7th | 9 | 0.900-0.999 |
| 8th | 10 | 1,000-1,099 |
The thread size is the diameter of surgical sutures .
In addition to the knot, the thread strength is decisive for the durability of a surgical suture . It depends on the material used and the strength of the thread . The general rule is that the suture material must guarantee sufficient tear resistance and be selected as thin as possible in order to keep tissue damage to a minimum. In the case of absorbable sutures, the thickness also has an influence on the dissolution process to be performed by the body and its duration.
The thread size printed on the packaging is always the minimum thickness. Most of the time, the actual thread size is slightly higher, but below the upper range limit. Two different measuring systems are used to specify the thread size,
- the American USP system ( United States Pharmacopeia )
- and the EP ( European Pharmacopoeia ) metric system in tenths of a millimeter .