Which statement about silk and polyester sutures is true?

• A. Silk non-absorbable with severe reaction; Polyester non-absorbable with moderate reaction
• B. Silk absorbable
• C. Silk non-absorbable with mild reaction; Polyester absorbable
• D. Silk non-absorbable with severe reaction; Polyester absorbable

Answer: (A)

Understanding how the body reacts to sutures and whether they are absorbable helps explain why certain materials are preferred in different situations. Silk is a natural, braided suture that is considered non-absorbable, but it tends to provoke a relatively strong inflammatory response from tissues. Polyester, on the other hand, is a synthetic non-absorbable suture that is designed to be more inert, typically causing a milder, more moderate tissue reaction.

So the true statement is that silk is non-absorbable and can cause a severe tissue reaction, while polyester is non-absorbable and tends to produce only a moderate reaction. The other options are inconsistent with these properties: silk is not absorbable, and polyester is not absorbable; silk does not have only a mild reaction, and polyester is not absorbable.