The reaction of the surrounding tissues to the implantation of biodegradable suture materials (plain catgut threads, DemeTECH polyglactin 910, Surgilactin--polyglactin 910) into the subcutaneous adipose tissue of rats, was studied using light microscopy 1, 2, 6 and 12 months after grafting. It was shown that the tissue reactions to implantation of different biodegradable suture materials followed the general pattern characteristic of wound healing and foreign body reaction. By the first month of observation, in all the animal groups, the stage of traumatic perifocal inflammation was replaced by a proliferative phase with the new growth of the blood vessels and connective tissue. In all the animal groups, there was a trend to reduction of productive inflammation activity from the 1st month till the 12th month. By the 12th month the total degeneration of the material with full recovery of structure of surrounding tissues (restitution) was recorded only after the implantation of polyglactin 910 (DemeTECH)
