Reported Reactions

Devices › Suture, nonabsorbable, silk

Device brand name · Suture nonabsorbable silk

Silk Suture: medical device reports filed with FDA

159 reports name it, 1997–2026. Manufacturer given most often on reports: Ethicon. Product code GAP.

159
device reports naming the brand
0% of all MAUDE reports · about 5 a year
35
reports, 12 months to August 2026
0 in the 12 months before
69.8%
classified as malfunction
80.1% across the product code
0%
classified as death, as reported
0 reports · not verified by FDA

FDA's MAUDE database holds 159 reports that name the brand "Silk Suture" (suture nonabsorbable silk), received between January 1997 and August 2026; the manufacturer given most often on reports is Ethicon. Spellings of one product vary from report to report.

35 reports arrived in the 12 months to August 2026, with none 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 malfunction (69.8%) and injury (29.6%); across all suture, nonabsorbable, silk reports (product code GAP) death is recorded in 0.2% and malfunction in 80.1%. Event type is the reporter's classification of the report, not a verified outcome.

The device problems coded most often are break (40.3%), material separation (15.1%) and device contaminated during manufacture or shipping (5.7%). The patient problems coded most often are swelling/ edema, erythema and fluid discharge. 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

0611Sep 2021: 0Oct 2021: 0Nov 2021: 0Dec 2021: 02022Jan 2022: 0Feb 2022: 0Mar 2022: 0Apr 2022: 0May 2022: 0Jun 2022: 0Jul 2022: 0Aug 2022: 0Sep 2022: 0Oct 2022: 0Nov 2022: 0Dec 2022: 02023Jan 2023: 0Feb 2023: 0Mar 2023: 7Apr 2023: 0May 2023: 0Jun 2023: 0Jul 2023: 8Aug 2023: 0Sep 2023: 0Oct 2023: 0Nov 2023: 0Dec 2023: 02024Jan 2024: 0Feb 2024: 0Mar 2024: 0Apr 2024: 0May 2024: 0Jun 2024: 0Jul 2024: 0Aug 2024: 0Sep 2024: 0Oct 2024: 0Nov 2024: 0Dec 2024: 02025Jan 2025: 0Feb 2025: 0Mar 2025: 0Apr 2025: 0May 2025: 0Jun 2025: 0Jul 2025: 0Aug 2025: 0Sep 2025: 0Oct 2025: 0Nov 2025: 0Dec 2025: 02026Jan 2026: 0Feb 2026: 0Mar 2026: 1Apr 2026: 11May 2026: 6Jun 2026: 4Jul 2026: 5Aug 2026: 8

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

018351997: 1319971998: 142000: 520002001: 32008: 1120082009: 32010: 1620102012: 32014: 320142015: 32018: 1520182019: 202023: 1520232026: 35

Event type and report source

Event type, as classified on the report

Death0%0
Injury29.6%47
Malfunction69.8%111
Other0%0
Not given0.6%1

Who filed the report

Manufacturer report99.4%158
Voluntary report0.6%1
User facility report0%0
Distributor report0%0
Not given0%0

Grey bar: all 4,019 reports carrying product code GAP. Event type is the filer's classification and is not verified by FDA.

Device problems coded

Device problem (FDA code)ReportsShareShare across product code
Breakthe device broke6440.3%53.1%
Material separation2415.1%9.9%
Device contaminated during manufacture or shipping95.7%2.4%
Needle, separation31.9%0.3%
Other (for use when an appropriate device code cannot be identified)21.3%0.4%
Detachment of device or device componentpart of the device came off10.6%4.3%
Loose10.6%0%
Replace10.6%0.2%

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
Swelling/ edema74.4%
Erythemaskin redness63.8%
Fluid discharge42.5%
Impaired healingslow healing42.5%
Inflammationinflammation31.9%
Hemorrhage/blood loss/bleeding21.3%
Hernia21.3%
Painpain, site not specified21.3%
Pocket erosion21.3%
Surgical procedure21.3%
Abscessa collection of pus10.6%
Adhesion(s)10.6%
Allergic reactionan allergic reaction10.6%
Atelectasis10.6%
Foreign body reaction10.6%

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

In context

MeasureSilk SutureProduct code GAPAll MAUDE reports
Reports1594,01926,136,888
Share of that pool—4%0%
Classified as death, per 1,000 reports029
Classified as injury29.6%19.5%36.2%
Classified as malfunction69.8%80.1%62.3%
Filed by the manufacturer99.4%98.3%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 GAP

BrandReportsLatest 12 monthsClassified as death
Silk Suture Unknown Product548321.3%
Silk Brd Blk 15x60cm M2 5363440%
Sofsilk365490%
Silk Brd Blk 15x60cm M2 0248290%
Non Absorbable Surgical Suture337390%
ETHILON Nylon Suture40390.2%
Ethicon1,1001642.3%

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 Silk Suture reports

How many FDA reports name Silk Suture?

159 medical device reports in the openFDA MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through August 2026; 35 in the latest 12 months.

What kinds of events are reported?

malfunction (69.8%) and injury (29.6%). "Event type" is how the report was classified when filed: death, injury, malfunction or other.

What device problems are coded?

break (40.3%), material separation (15.1%), device contaminated during manufacture or shipping (5.7%), needle, separation (1.9%) and other (for use when an appropriate device code cannot be identified) (1.3%). These are FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report.

Who files these reports?

manufacturer reports (99.4%) and voluntary reports (0.6%). Manufacturers and user facilities are required to report; voluntary reports come from health professionals and the public.

Do these reports show that Silk Suture 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.