All textiles used in the operative and post - operative tasks in and around a patient and the medical practitioners are termed as medical textiles. Medical textile products are based on fabrics, of which there are four types: woven, knitted, braided, and nonwoven (see Figure 1). The first three of these are made from yarns, whereas the fourth can be made directly from fibers, or even from polymers. Fibres used in medicine and surgery may be classified depending on whether the materials from which they are made are natural or synthetic, absorbable or non-absorbable. All fibres used in medical applications must be non-toxic, non-allergenic non-carcinogenic and be able to be sterilised without imparting any change in the physical or chemical characteristics. Among the available materials, some are absorbed faster (e.g., polyglycolic acid, polyglactin acid) and others more slowly (e.g., poiyglyconate). Semiabsorbable materials such as cotton and silk generally cause less reaction, although the tissue response may continue for an extended time. Nonabsorbable materials (e.g., nylon, polyester, polypropylene) tend to be inert and to provoke the least reaction.
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