Advances in carbohydrate-based polymers for the design of suture materials: A review

Suture materials constitute one of the largest biomedical material groups with a huge global market of $ 1.3 billion annually and employment in over 12 million procedures per year. Suture materials have radically evolved over the years, from basic strips of linen to more advanced synthetic polymer sutures. Yet, the journey to the ideal suture material is far from over and we now stand on the brink of a new era of improved suture materials with greater safety and efficacy. This next step in the evolutionary timeline of suture materials, involves the use of natural, carbohydrate polymers that have, until recent years, never before been considered for suture material applications. This review exposes the latest and most important advancements in suture material development while digging deep into how natural, carbohydrate polymers can serve to advance this field.