SURGEONS for many years have chosen absorbable catgut suture as the type least likely to produce wound convocations in the presence of infection. A few have preferred stainless steel wire, but the technical difficulties of handling wire has precluded its widespread use. Because of capillary attraction, braided multifilament sutures of silk and cotton harbor infection and may cause persistent draining sinuses. Although catgut has been the material of choice, the riremature dissolution of these sutures in the presence of infection often results in dehiscence or hernia. The ideal suture for contaminated wounds would be a nonabsorbable monofilament that would cause a minimum of foreign body reaction, be noncapillary, and possess all of the physical attributes that go to make a good suture; these include good tensile strength, good knot retention, smoothness of surface, and a certain amount of stiffness for ease of handling. Early this year we became interested in