Recognized as a specialist in complicated gynecologic surgery, Dr. Rutherford says Caprosyn® "has excellent knot security, a short half life, and doesn't fray or break like gut sutures that can dry in the package and lose their pliability. I can slip a knot and pull it through and the knot doesn't loosen."

For the team at US Surgical's Davis and Geck -- USSDG -- Caprosyn® is a triumph in their own 30-year mission to develop the best synthetic absorbable sutures. Dexon®, Maxon®, Polysorb®, and Biosyn® are names synonymous with major milestones in synthetic absorbable sutures pioneered by USSDG since 1970.

Caprosyn® has met the challenge of three decades: to outperform Mother Nature with maximum wound support, knot security, pliability, easy handling, and a rapid disappearing act. Caprosyn® also avoids one of nature's worst nightmares: the potential transmission of Mad Cow Disease through medical devices containing bovine proteins, a risk the European Union recently deemed unacceptable by banning Gut sutures.

"I've used Chromic Gut and I've used Caprosyn®," Rutherford explains. "Once Caprosyn® hits the market, I'll be replacing my Chromic Gut entirely."

George Rodeheaver directs the wound-healing laboratory at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville. "The suture is a foreign body," Rodeheaver says. "The quicker we eliminate it from the body, the quicker we eliminate foreign-body problems."

Rodeheaver has published two books, 30 chapters, and 164 papers on the subject of wound care, evaluating debridement, antiseptics, anesthetics, wound closure, and wound dressings. He recently welcomed Caprosyn® to his wound-care team.

"Caprosyn® is unique because it is rapidly degraded from the body after it loses its strength," Rodeheaver said. "We've always had biodegradable sutures, but most of them hang around too long. Caprosyn® degrades very quickly."

An organic chemist by training, Dr. Rodeheaver understands that Caprosyn® is cutting-edge chemistry. Prepared from Polyglytone® 6211 polyester, "Caprosyn® is the most rapidly degraded synthetic polymer suture to date," Rodeheaver said. Indicated for general soft tissue approximation, Caprosyn® sutures have a strength loss profile similar to much weaker Chromic Gut -- the body absorbs Caprosyn® in only 56 days, unlike other monofilament absorbable sutures such as Monocryl® -- absorbed in a whopping 119 days.

Rodeheaver also prefers Caprosyn® because "Chromic Gut is a foreign protein somewhat unpredictable in its behavior," he said. What's more, "Chromic Gut is a bovine collagen," Rodeheaver explained. "On a different day from a different cow you can get a different product. With synthetic polymers, you make the same thing every single day."

The hallmark of Caprosyn® and other synthetic polymers: "Reliability, consistency, and performance," Rodeheaver said.

With Caprosyn®, the medical engineers at US Surgical have redefined the perfect partner in wound management: a synthetic, biodegradable polymer that won't fray as knots are "snugged" down and tied. An ultra-strong helper in the clinic or operating room that emphasizes knot security without tissue drag. A low-profile assistant with little or no tissue reactivity that doesn't complicate patient care with "nooks and crannies" that promote necrosis, clots, and bacterial contamination. Finally -- and most importantly -- USSDG has introduced a guest in the patient's life that knows when to make a graceful -- and predictable -- exit.

"No other suture I've used does all this as well as Caprosyn®," Dr. Rutherford explained.

George Rodeheaver agreed. "Safety and efficacy are the only things I focus on," he said.
"Caprosyn® delivers both."

United States Surgical manufactures Caprosyn®. For more information on Caprosyn® call United States Surgical at 1-800-722-8772; fax 1-800-544-8772; or contact your local USS Representative.

Contact a United States Surgical representative at _______, booth #______ or visit the product Web site at http://www.ussdg.com.