Abstract/Hauptbeschreibung (Englisch)

The success of a surgical suture is largely determined by its mechanical properties, particularly tensile strength and resistance to knot slippage. However, the evaluation of suture tensile behavior remains challenging due to the lack of a standardized international testing method. This study presents an experimental approach for assessing the mechanical characteristics and knot slippage of braided polyester fiber sutures. The influence of braid angle on both tensile performance and knot behavior was investigated, and a slippage ratio derived from load-extension curves was introduced. Results showed that braid angle significantly affects the breaking load and elongation of the sutures. The presence of a knot reduced the breaking load, with failure consistently occurring in the knot region. Furthermore, the proposed slippage ratio provided an effective means of comparing the slippage resistance of different knot configurations. Keywords: braided suture, tensile performance, knot slippage, slippage ratio, braid angle.