Manufacturer of the Quill™ self-retaining system
The manufacturer of the Quill™ threads is Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. based in Canada (Vancouver), which refers to its system as the Quil™ Self-Retaining System – Quill™ – SRS for short.
These threads should not be confused with non-self-dissolving anchor threads (e.g. Aptos).
What are Quill™ threads?
Quill™ sutures are a monofilament (non-braided) suture material that is self-dissolving. This can also be used for skin sutures, eliminating the need to pull the sutures. The real special feature, however, is the fact that these threads are provided with tiny barbs that anchor the tissue. This gives the suture an unusual stability using Quill™ threads, so that a knot is no longer necessary.
Advantages for the plastic surgeon:
- Good stability of the wound due to the small barbs.
- Slightly shorter sewing time.
Advantages for the patient:
- There is no need for stitches.
- Slightly shorter anesthesia time.
Personal experience of the author:
We have been using Quill™ sutures since 2009 for suturing abdominoplasty as part of multi-layer wound closure. So-called thread granulomas, which can occasionally occur with superficial, braided, self-dissolving suture material (especially at the knots), have not yet been observed with Quill™ thread.
The stability of the seam is impressive. However, every stitch must be perfect, as the Quill™ thread cannot be pulled back due to the barbs.
Article on the use of Quill™ sutures in abdominoplasty: Abdominoplasty with progressive tension closure using a barbed suture technique. – Warner JP, Gutowski KA. – Aesthet Surg J. 2009 May-Jun;29(3):221-5.
