Surgical Sutures Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends and Forecast (2026 - 2031)

Global Surgical Sutures Market Trends and Insights

Rising Surgical Procedure Volumes Among Ageing Populations

Geriatric demographics are reshaping suture demand by boosting orthopedic, spinal, and cardiovascular case volumes while requiring longer-lasting absorbable filaments that retain tensile strength for 60–90 days. U.S. adults aged ≥65 will constitute 21.6% of the population by 2040, increasing annual hip and knee arthroplasties toward 4.7 million procedures. Over 90% of arthroplasty patients during the study period were aged 50 and above. The average age for total hip replacement (THR) patients was 70, and for total knee replacement (TKR) patients, it was 67. Projections indicate a 65% rise in total hip arthroplasties and a 49% increase in knee arthroplasties by 2036.^{[1]Katie St John, Andrew Hughes, and Joseph Queally, “A Study of Population Trends and Future Projections for the Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Service in the Republic of Ireland,” The Surgeon, sciencedirect.com}In 2023, Japan's National Clinical Database recorded 895,606 gastroenterological and abdominal surgical procedures. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy led with 118,825 procedures, followed by laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery (82,669) and open inguinal hernia surgery (63,234).^{[2]Takehito Yamamoto et al., “2023 National Clinical Database Annual Report by the Japan Surgical Society,” Surgery Today, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov} Infection rates double in patients over 75, prompting hospitals to mandate triclosan-coated sutures for high-risk geriatric procedures.

Growing Chronic-Disease Burden Driving Elective Surgeries

Diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer are pushing predictable high-volume surgeries that favor standardized suture lines. Bariatric procedures in the United States reached 270,089 in 2023, consuming 30% more suture material than standard abdominal cases.^{[3]American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, “Estimate of Bariatric Surgery Numbers, 2011–2023,” American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, asmbs.org}Coronary artery bypass grafts totaled 371,000 in 2024, anchoring demand for braided polyester vascular sutures. Oncology resections increasingly rely on absorbable subcuticular closures that avoid follow-up removal in immunosuppressed patients.

Technological Advances in Bio-Absorbable & Antimicrobial Yarns

Silver-nanoparticle-doped poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) sutures cut Staphylococcus aureus colonization by 94% while retaining 80% tensile strength at 28 days. Faropenem-eluting threads release bactericidal levels for 14 days, extending antimicrobial windows beyond first-generation triclosan coatings. Polybutylene succinate formulations under clinical evaluation promise carbon-neutral footprints that satisfy hospital sustainability mandates. 

Expansion of Healthcare Infrastructure in Emerging Economies

India added 10,000 private hospital beds in 2024 and streamlined device approvals through the MedTech Mitra program. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 privatization of 290 hospitals requires USD 65 billion in device procurement, including sutures. China’s 14th Five-Year Plan budgets USD 75 billion for new county-level hospitals and approved 23 domestic suture manufacturers in 2024, intensifying price competition.

Shift Toward Staplers, Sealants & Robotic Closure Systems

Robotic stapling on da Vinci platforms cut suture use 20% per colorectal case in 2024 as procedure counts hit 2.289 million. Fibrin sealants and cyanoacrylate adhesives replace sutures in pediatric and hepatic cases, aided by FDA clearances of eight new tissue-adhesive variants in 2024. CMS raised stapled bariatric surgery reimbursements by USD 220, reinforcing substitution economics.

Infection Risks Prompting Switch to Adhesive Dressings

CDC surveillance logged 157,500 surgical-site infections in 2024, with sutures implicated in 18%. Multifilament threads carry a 2.3-fold higher infection-risk profile, motivating guideline revisions that prefer monofilaments in contaminated wounds. JAMA Surgery showed clean-contaminated abdominal cases closed with adhesives reduced infections from 4.7% to 2.9% versus absorbable sutures.

Segment Analysis

By Product: Absorbables Dominate as Reimbursement Favors Elimination Visits

Absorbable sutures’ 53.24% share in 2025 underscores a structural reimbursement shift. Medicare’s 2024 Physician Fee Schedule cut payments for suture-removal visits, driving surgeons toward polyglycolic-acid and polydioxanone options. Within the surgical suture market size for absorbables, barbed designs shortened OR time 6–9 minutes, and adoption in orthopedic repairs rose 14%. Non-absorbables persist in vascular and corneal applications demanding permanent tensile strength, but their 3.12% CAGR lags as payors reward elimination of follow-up appointments. 

ISO 13485 certifications climbed 9% year-on-year to 1,247 suture manufacturers in 2024, making quality compliance a threshold for GPO contracts. Carbon-neutral bio-based absorbables could rewrite purchasing criteria despite 40%–60% price premiums, limiting early uptake to academic centers.

By Filament Structure: Monofilament Gains on Infection-Control Mandates

Monofilament sutures seized 58.46% revenue in 2025 and pace at an 8.02% CAGR as hospital protocols ban multifilaments in contaminated settings. A Lancet meta-analysis covering 47,000 patients proved single-strand closures cut infections by 52% in colorectal and biliary surgeries. Multifilaments still appeal for knot security in microsurgery, yet antimicrobial coatings on braided threads are stop-gap solutions amid infection-control mandates. Barbed designs blur structural lines by offering knotless closures that shave OR minutes and reduce glove fatigue in repetitive closures.

By Source: Synthetic Polymers Marginalize Natural Materials

Synthetic sutures occupy 68.68% of 2025 revenue and expand at 6.46% CAGR, thanks to engineered hydrolysis that matches tissue-healing timelines. Polydioxanone maintains 70% tensile strength at 28 days, perfect for fascial repairs. Natural catgut, still favored for mucosal layers, faces 18% supply contraction amid EU sourcing bans, limiting its 3.87% CAGR. Silk’s high tissue reactivity also advances its gradual displacement by braided polyester.

By Coating: Antimicrobial Formulations Face Regulatory Headwinds

Coated sutures held 64.24% revenue share in 2025, and their 7.01% CAGR persists as hospitals tie reimbursements to infection-rate metrics. Triclosan-coated formulations reduced infection risk 31% across 15,000 patients in a 2024 Cochrane meta-analysis. Yet FDA resistance warnings are prompting next-generation coatings such as silver nanoparticles and faropenem-eluting layers designed to mitigate long-term antimicrobial exposure.

By Application: Plastic Surgery Surges as Aesthetics Normalize

Cardiovascular surgery’s 22.57% share remains anchored by 371,000 annual CABG cases requiring polyester sutures. Plastic and reconstructive surgery accelerates at 8.73% CAGR on 28.2 million U.S. procedures in 2024. Barbed polydioxanone facilitates knotless facelifts, while absorbable subcuticular closures minimize scarring in breast reconstructions. Orthopedic surgeries ride joint-replacement momentum at 6.89% CAGR in Japan and the United States.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By End User: ASCs Gain as Outpatient Migration Accelerates

Hospitals hold 65.36% share but face margin compression from bundled purchasing agreements. ASCs grow 8.46% CAGR, demanding pre-sterilized packs and 90-day payment terms. Specialty clinics expand 5.23% CAGR on in-office dermatologic and varicose-vein interventions.

Geography Analysis

North America’s 37.47% share stems from 51 million annual procedures and premium adoption of coated and barbed sutures. GPOs controlling USD 84 billion in contracts enforce bundled deals that shaved 200–300 basis points off standalone suture margins by 2025. 

Asia-Pacific posts a 7.36% CAGR, lifted by India’s bed count expansion, China’s hospital build-out, and Japan’s aging orthopedic demand. Europe is tempered by MDR recertification hurdles that sidelined 14% of manufacturers and by EMA reviews restricting triclosan usage. The Middle East and Africa grows as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 privatization drives centralized procurement. South America’s share remains price-sensitive under Brazil’s SUS tenders that emphasize lowest-cost supply.