Prolene is a

synthetic Synthetic things are composed of multiple parts, often with the implication that they are artificial. In particular, 'synthetic' may refer to: Science * Synthetic chemical or compound, produced by the process of chemical synthesis * Synthetic o ...

, monofilament, nonabsorbable

polypropylene Polypropylene (PP), also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications. It is produced via chain-growth polymerization from the monomer propylene. Polypropylene belongs to the group of polyolefins and ...

suture. It is indicated for skin closure and general soft tissue approximation and ligation. Its advantages include minimal tissue reactivity and durability. Disadvantages include fragility, high plasticity, high expense, and difficulty of use compared to standard

nylon Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers composed of polyamides ( repeating units linked by amide links).The polyamides may be aliphatic or semi-aromatic. Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from petro ...

sutures. Composed of an isotactic crystalline stereoisomer of polypropylene, Prolene sutures are intended to be durable and long lasting. They are dyed

blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obs ...

, allowing for easy visibility against

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other cuticle, animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have diffe ...

and when operating. It is composed of a single filament. A polypropylene mesh is also marketed under the name Prolene by Ethicon. It is used for repairing

hernia A hernia is the abnormal exit of tissue or an organ (anatomy), organ, such as the bowel, through the wall of the cavity in which it normally resides. Various types of hernias can occur, most commonly involving the abdomen, and specifically the gr ...

s and other injuries to the

fascia A fascia (; plural fasciae or fascias; adjective fascial; from Latin: "band") is a band or sheet of connective tissue, primarily collagen, beneath the skin that attaches to, stabilizes, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs. ...

. Prolene commonly is used in both human and veterinary medicine for skin closure. In human medicine it is used in cardiovascular, ophthalmic and neurological procedures. It is often used in conjunction with the absorbable suture

Monocryl Monocryl is a synthetic, absorbable suture manufactured in Cornelia, Georgia, USA, and trademarked by Ethicon. It is composed of poliglecaprone 25, which is a copolymer of glycolide and epsilon-caprolactone. It comes both dyed (violet) and undyed ...

. Prolene is manufactured by

Ethicon Inc. Ethicon, Inc. is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. It was incorporated as a separate company under the Johnson & Johnson umbrella in 1949 to expand and diversify the Johnson & Johnson product line. Ethicon has manufactured surgical sutures a ...

, a subsidiary of

Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American multinational corporation founded in 1886 that develops medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and consumer packaged goods. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company i ...

. The name Prolene is a trademark of Ethicon Inc. and is produced in Cornelia, Georgia, USA. Prolene has also become the mainstay of vascular anastomoses and had facilitated significant advances in cardiac and vascular surgery. It is used on both small vessels such as coronary artery bypasses and large vessels including the aorta. It is used in obstetrical practice, during cesarean sections to suture the rectus sheath of the abdominal wall because it is non-absorbable in nature and provides the sheath the due strength it deserves (rectus sheath is composed of various tendon extensions and muscle fibres and maintains the strength of the abdominal wall; if it becomes weak the abdominal contents start herniating out) it stays there forever and is also often seen during repeat cesarean section as that of the previous section.

Use in paintbrushes

Prolene is also used in the manufacture of artist's watercolour paint brushes. When carefully blended with the traditional material Siberian weasel hair, it produces a brush of comparable quality at a more economical price. See

kolinsky sable-hair brush A kolinsky sable-hair brush (also known as ''red sable'' or ''sable hair brush'') is a fine artists' paintbrush. The hair is obtained from the tail of the kolinsky (''Mustela sibirica''), a species of weasel rather than an actual sable. The "f ...

External links

Ethicon Product Catalog
{{Johnson & Johnson Surgical suture material

Use in paintbrushes

See also

External links