Reported Reactions

Devices › Suture, nonabsorbable, synthetic, polyethylene

Device brand name · Suture nonabsorbable synthetic

Mersilene Polyester Fiber Suture Unknown Product: medical device reports filed with FDA

197 reports name it, 2017–2025. Manufacturer given most often on reports: Ethicon. Product code GAT.

197
device reports naming the brand
0% of all MAUDE reports · about 23 a year
4
reports, 12 months to August 2026
25 in the 12 months before
5.6%
classified as malfunction
72.7% across the product code
1.5%
classified as death, as reported
3 reports · not verified by FDA

197 medical device reports received by FDA name the brand "Mersilene Polyester Fiber Suture Unknown Product" (suture nonabsorbable synthetic); the manufacturer given most often on reports is Ethicon; received from November 2017 to December 2025. Brand names are as the reporter or manufacturer wrote them, so one product can appear under several spellings.

4 reports arrived in the 12 months to August 2026, down 84% from 25 in the 12 months before. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases. The event types recorded are injury (92.9%), malfunction (5.6%) and death (1.5%); across all suture, nonabsorbable, synthetic, polyethylene reports (product code GAT) death is recorded in 0.2% and malfunction in 72.7%. Event type is the reporter's classification of the report, not a verified outcome.

The device problems coded most often are material separation (4.6%), break (3.6%) and insufficient device problem information (1.5%). The patient problems coded most often are hemorrhage/blood loss/bleeding, not applicable and eye injury. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Reports by month, five years

01326Sep 2021: 0Oct 2021: 0Nov 2021: 0Dec 2021: 02022Jan 2022: 0Feb 2022: 0Mar 2022: 0Apr 2022: 0May 2022: 0Jun 2022: 0Jul 2022: 1Aug 2022: 0Sep 2022: 4Oct 2022: 2Nov 2022: 0Dec 2022: 132023Jan 2023: 26Feb 2023: 0Mar 2023: 0Apr 2023: 1May 2023: 0Jun 2023: 0Jul 2023: 0Aug 2023: 0Sep 2023: 0Oct 2023: 0Nov 2023: 0Dec 2023: 22024Jan 2024: 1Feb 2024: 0Mar 2024: 24Apr 2024: 1May 2024: 0Jun 2024: 0Jul 2024: 0Aug 2024: 0Sep 2024: 0Oct 2024: 4Nov 2024: 6Dec 2024: 02025Jan 2025: 0Feb 2025: 1Mar 2025: 0Apr 2025: 0May 2025: 12Jun 2025: 2Jul 2025: 0Aug 2025: 0Sep 2025: 1Oct 2025: 0Nov 2025: 1Dec 2025: 22026Jan 2026: 0Feb 2026: 0Mar 2026: 0Apr 2026: 0May 2026: 0Jun 2026: 0Jul 2026: 0Aug 2026: 0

Reports by the month FDA received them. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases.

By year received

018362017: 1720172018: 1620182019: 620192020: 1920202021: 3520212022: 2020222023: 2920232024: 3620242025: 192025

Event type and report source

Event type, as classified on the report

Death1.5%3
Injury92.9%183
Malfunction5.6%11
Other0%0
Not given0%0

Who filed the report

Manufacturer report100%197
Voluntary report0%0
User facility report0%0
Distributor report0%0
Not given0%0

Grey bar: all 20,369 reports carrying product code GAT. Event type is the filer's classification and is not verified by FDA.

Device problems coded

Device problem (FDA code)ReportsShareShare across product code
Material separation94.6%5%
Breakthe device broke73.6%15.8%
Insufficient device problem information31.5%1%
Migrationthe device moved from where it was placed10.5%0.3%
Retraction problem10.5%0.1%

FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report; one report can carry several. Generic codes such as "no apparent adverse event" are left out.

Patient problems coded

Patient problem (FDA code)ReportsShare
Hemorrhage/blood loss/bleeding3919.8%
Not applicable2713.7%
Eye injury2110.7%
Inflammationinflammation157.6%
Wound dehiscencea wound reopened147.1%
Painpain, site not specified94.6%
Hematomaa collection of blood under the skin or in tissue84.1%
Abscessa collection of pus73.6%
Fistula73.6%
Granuloma73.6%
Appropriate clinical signs, symptoms and conditions term/code not available63%
Erosion63%
Impaired healingslow healing63%
Sepsisa severe body-wide response to infection63%
Fluid discharge52.5%

Patient problem codes are present mainly in reports filed since 2019 and are often blank.

In context

MeasureMersilene Polyester Fiber Suture Unknown ProductProduct code GATAll MAUDE reports
Reports19720,36926,136,888
Share of that pool—1%0%
Classified as death, per 1,000 reports1529
Classified as injury92.9%26.9%36.2%
Classified as malfunction5.6%72.7%62.3%
Filed by the manufacturer100%98.9%94.9%

Shares are of reports, not of devices in use. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Other brands with product code GAT

BrandReportsLatest 12 monthsClassified as death
Fast-Fix 360 Curved Ndl Delivery Sys8,2991,7550%
Ultra Fast-Fix Assembly - Curved1,093640%
Ethibond Extra & Excel Polyester Suture Unknown719321.3%
Fast-Fix 360 Reversed Curve Ndl Deliv6911090%
Ff Flex Crvd Instr5613250%
Fast-Fix 360 Curved Ndl Dlvry Sys Ei44800%
Fast Fix Flx Crvd Insrtr Bndr Cann Set4321670%
V-Loc366720%
Ultra Fast-Fix Ab Assembly - Curved30590%
Ti-Cron237280.4%
Eb Exc Grn 36in 4-0 D/A Rb-1186140%
Meniscal Cinch178180%
Fast-Fix 360 Straight Ndl Delivery Sy159100%
Fst Fix Flx Rev Crvd Insrtr Bndr Cann St152500%
ETHIBOND Extra & Excel Polyester Suture317340%

Ordered by report count for navigation only. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA also states that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product."

Questions about Mersilene Polyester Fiber Suture Unknown Product reports

How many FDA reports name Mersilene Polyester Fiber Suture Unknown Product?

197 medical device reports in the openFDA MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through August 2026; 4 in the latest 12 months.

What kinds of events are reported?

injury (92.9%), malfunction (5.6%) and death (1.5%). "Event type" is how the report was classified when filed: death, injury, malfunction or other.

What device problems are coded?

material separation (4.6%), break (3.6%), insufficient device problem information (1.5%), migration (0.5%) and retraction problem (0.5%). These are FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report.

Who files these reports?

manufacturer reports (100%). Manufacturers and user facilities are required to report; voluntary reports come from health professionals and the public.

Do these reports show that Mersilene Polyester Fiber Suture Unknown Product was at fault?

No. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA adds that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report."

How do I report a problem with a medical device?

Through FDA MedWatch (Form FDA 3500 for health professionals and consumers), or to the manufacturer. See the guide on how to report.

Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Device Adverse Event (MAUDE) bulk export released 28 Sep 2026, which holds reports FDA received through 31 Aug 2026. Brand, generic and manufacturer names are as written on the reports; product code names come from FDA's device classification. A report counts here when any device it lists carries this brand name after punctuation and capitalisation are normalised. No report narrative, lot number, patient detail or reporter identity is published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.

Drug data (FAERS) through 30 Jun 2026; device data (MAUDE) through 31 Aug 2026. Not medical advice.