PLIASURE Suture is indicated for use in general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation, but not for use in ophthalmic, cardiovascular and neurological tissues.
Device Story
PLIASURE is a synthetic, absorbable, braided, bicolored surgical suture composed of polyglycolide (PGA) homopolymer, coated with a mixture of polyglactin 370 and calcium stearate. Used by surgeons for soft tissue approximation and ligation. Device provides mechanical wound closure; material is absorbed by the body over time. Biocompatible, nonpyrogenic, and elicits minimal tissue reaction. Supplied sterile.
Clinical Evidence
Bench testing only. Biocompatibility testing per ISO 10993-1 (cytotoxicity, irritation, sensitization, acute systemic toxicity, pyrogenicity, genotoxicity, implantation). Physical performance testing per USP standards for diameter, needle attachment, and tensile strength. In vivo evaluation of tensile strength retention and absorption profile provided.
Technological Characteristics
Synthetic absorbable braided suture; material: polyglycolide (PGA) homopolymer; coating: polyglactin 370 and calcium stearate; bicolored (D&C Violet #2 and natural); sterile; meets USP standards for synthetic absorbable sutures (except diameter).
Indications for Use
Indicated for general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation. Contraindicated for ophthalmic, cardiovascular, and neurological tissues.
Regulatory Classification
Identification
An absorbable poly(glycolide/l-lactide) surgical suture (PGL suture) is an absorbable sterile, flexible strand as prepared and synthesized from homopolymers of glycolide and copolymers made from 90 percent glycolide and 10 percent l-lactide, and is indicated for use in soft tissue approximation. A PGL suture meets United States Pharmacopeia (U.S.P.) requirements as described in the U.S.P. “Monograph for Absorbable Surgical Sutures;” it may be monofilament or multifilament (braided) in form; it may be uncoated or coated; and it may be undyed or dyed with an FDA-approved color additive. Also, the suture may be provided with or without a standard needle attached.
Special Controls
*Classification.* Class II (special controls). The special control for this device is FDA's “Class II Special Controls Guidance Document: Surgical Sutures; Guidance for Industry and FDA.” See § 878.1(e) for the availability of this guidance document.
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Food and Drug Administration 10903 New Hampshire Avenue Document Control Center - WO66-G609 Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002
March 26, 2015
Ethicon Incorporated Ms. Susan Lin, RAC Manager, Regulatory Affairs P.O. Box 151 Route 22 West Somerville, New Jersey 08876
Re: K142822
Trade/Device Name: PLIASURE™ Polyglycolide Synthetic Absorbable Suture Regulation Number: 21 CFR 878.4493 Regulation Name: Absorbable poly(glycolide/l-lactide) surgical suture Regulatory Class: Class II Product Code: GAM Dated: February 19, 2015 Received: February 23, 2015
Dear Ms. Lin:
We have reviewed your Section 510(k) premarket notification of intent to market the device referenced above and have determined the device is substantially equivalent (for the indications for use stated in the enclosure) to legally marketed predicate devices marketed in interstate commerce prior to May 28, 1976, the enactment date of the Medical Device Amendments, or to devices that have been reclassified in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Food. Drug. and Cosmetic Act (Act) that do not require approval of a premarket approval application (PMA). You may, therefore, market the device, subject to the general controls provisions of the Act. The general controls provisions of the Act include requirements for annual registration, listing of devices, good manufacturing practice, labeling, and prohibitions against misbranding and adulteration. Please note: CDRH does not evaluate information related to contract liability warranties. We remind you; however, that device labeling must be truthful and not misleading.
If your device is classified (see above) into either class II (Special Controls) or class III (PMA), it may be subject to additional controls. Existing major regulations affecting your device can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Parts 800 to 898. In addition, FDA may publish further announcements concerning your device in the Federal Register.
Please be advised that FDA's issuance of a substantial equivalence determination does not mean that FDA has made a determination that your device complies with other requirements of the Act or any Federal statutes and regulations administered by other Federal agencies. You must comply with all the Act's requirements, including, but not limited to: registration and listing (21 CFR Part 807); labeling (21 CFR Part 801); medical device reporting (reporting of medical device-related adverse events) (21 CFR 803); good manufacturing practice requirements as set
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forth in the quality systems (QS) regulation (21 CFR Part 820); and if applicable, the electronic product radiation control provisions (Sections 531-542 of the Act); 21 CFR 1000-1050.
If you desire specific advice for your device on our labeling regulation (21 CFR Part 801), please contact the Division of Industry and Consumer Education at its toll-free number (800) 638-2041 or (301) 796-7100 or at its Internet address
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ResourcesforYou/Industry/default.htm. Also, please note the regulation entitled. "Misbranding by reference to premarket notification" (21CFR Part 807.97). For questions regarding the reporting of adverse events under the MDR regulation (21 CFR Part 803), please go to
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/ReportaProblem/default.htm for the CDRH's Office of Surveillance and Biometrics/Division of Postmarket Surveillance.
You may obtain other general information on your responsibilities under the Act from the Division of Industry and Consumer Education at its toll-free number (800) 638-2041 or (301) 796-7100 or at its Internet address
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ResourcesforYou/Industry/default.htm.
Sincerely yours.
# Jennifer R. Stevenson -S
For Binita S. Ashar, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S. Director Division of Surgical Devices Office of Device Evaluation Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Enclosure
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# Indications for Use
510(k) Number (if known) K142822
Device Name
PLIASURE™ Polyglycolide Synthetic Absorbable Suture
Indications for Use (Describe)
PLIASURE Suture is indicated for use in general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation, but not for use in ophthalmic, cardiovascular and neurological tissues.
| Type of Use (Select one or both, as applicable) | |
|-------------------------------------------------|--|
|-------------------------------------------------|--|
X Prescription Use (Part 21 CFR 801 Subpart D)
| Over-The-Counter Use (21 CFR 801 Subpart C)
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# 510(k) Summary
| I. SUBMITTER: | Ethicon |
|-----------------|----------------------|
| | P.O. Box 151 |
| | Route 22 West |
| | Somerville, NJ 08876 |
| | USA |
| | Phone: 918-218-2256 |
| | Fax: 918-218-2595 |
| Date: | September 29, 2014 |
| Contact Person: | Susan Lin |
# II. DEVICE
| Name of Device: | PLIASURE™ Polyglycolide Synthetic Absorbable Suture |
|----------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| Common Device Name: | Suture, Absorbable, Synthetic, Polyglycolic Acid |
| Classification Name: | Absorbable Poly(glycolide/L-lactide) Surgical Suture |
| Regulatory Class: | Class II, 21 CFR 878.4493 |
| Product Code: | GAM |
# III. PREDICATE DEVICES:
VICRYLTM Coated Suture (K022269) DEXON/DEXON II Braided Suture (K972566)
# IV. DEVICE DESCRIPTION:
PLIASURE Suture is a synthetic absorbable sterile surgical suture composed of the homopolymer of glycolide (PGA). PLIASURE Suture is prepared by coating PGA suture material with a mixture composed of equal parts of copolymer of glycolide and lactide (polyglactin 370) with calcium stearate. The polymers used in this product have been found to be nonpyrogenic and elicit minimal tissue reaction during absorption. The sutures are braided bicolored with a combination of dyed (D&C Violet #2) and undyed (natural) yarns. PLIASURE Sutures meet U.S.P. for synthetic absorbable sutures except for diameter.
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# V. INDICATION FOR USE
PLIASURE Suture is indicated for use in general soft tissue approximation and/or ligation, but not for use in ophthalmic, cardiovascular and neurological tissues.
#### VI. COMPARISON OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS WITH THE PREDICATE DEVICE
PLIASURE Suture has same materials as the predicate devices. Like the currently marketed predicate devices, PLIASURE Suture is a sterile, braided synthetic absorbable suture intended for the soft tissue approximation and/or ligation. It conforms to the USP Monograph for absorbable surgical sutures, except for diameter,
### VII. PERFORMANCE DATA
Non-clinical testing was conducted on the device per FDA's Special Control Guidance Document: Surgical Suture. The following performance data was provided in support of the substantial equivalence determination:
#### Biocompatibility Evaluation
PLIASURE Suture is considered a permanent (>30 days) tissue contact implant device.
The biocompatibility evaluation for PLIASURE Suture was conducted in accordance with International Standard ISO 10993-1"Biological Evaluation of Medical Devices - Part 1: Evaluation and Testing within a Risk Management Process, " as recognized by FDA, and FDA Blue Book Memorandum #G95-1 "Use of International Standard ISO-10993, "Biological Evaluation of Medical Devices Part 1: Evaluation and Testing.""May 1, 1995. The battery of testing included the following tests:
- Cytotoxicity
- Irritation and Sensitization
- Acute Systemic Toxicity ●
- Pyrogenicity
- Genotoxicity
- Implantation (for Tissue Reaction and Absorption) ●
#### Physical/Performance Characteristics
USP performance testing including Suture – Diameter <861>. Suture – Needle Attachment <871>, and Tensile Strength <881> was conducted on the sterilized suture samples in finished form. Additional performance testing was conducted in order to demonstrate substantial equivalence to the predicate device including in vivo tensile strength retention profile and absorption profile.
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#### VIII. CONCLUSIONS
PLIASURE Suture has the same intended use as the predicate devices. The main technological characteristics of PLIASURE Suture are the same as the predicate devices. The performance data including biocompatibility testing, physical performance testing, and in vivo evaluation of tensile strength and absorption profile demonstrate that PLIASURE Suture is substantially equivalent to the predicate devices.
Two short videos show you everything — or skip straight to the written tutorial if you'd rather read. You can reopen this any time from the Tutorial button in the top bar.
Part 1 — Search, results, and everyday workflows 16 min
Part 2 — Embeddings: the galaxy map 3 min
1. Search: exact and fuzzy
Type a phrase like "coronary artery calcification" into the search box. You get two kinds of results. Exact results match the literal phrase — prefix searches work ("coronary artery calcificati") but suffix searches do not. Fuzzy results match on the meaning and intent of your phrase rather than the exact words, and are sorted by relevance score. Hover over the Exact or Fuzzy badge on any row to see exactly why it matched.
Use the checkboxes above the results to narrow: SaMD keeps only software-only devices, AI / ML keeps only devices with AI.
Exact vs. fuzzy search: what's the difference?
Exact matches on the literal phrase (prefix search works, suffix does not). Fuzzy matches on the meaning and intent of the phrase rather than the exact words. Hover over the badge on any row to see why it matched.
You search "coronary artery calcification" and want only software devices with AI. What two filters do you apply?
Narrow by SaMD (software-only devices), then narrow by AI/ML (devices with AI).
2. The results table
Scroll right in the results table. The intended use is extracted for you — no need to open the PDF. The device story gives a high-level snapshot of what the device does and how it's used. The AI Performance sub-table shows each output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, and development/test dataset descriptions — the same format Innolitics uses for regulatory strategy outputs, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. It is AI-generated but has been very reliable in practice.
Where do you find a device's intended use without opening the PDF?
Scroll right in the search results table. The intended use column is extracted for you; no need to dig into the 510(k) summary PDF.
What does the AI Performance sub-table show, and why is it useful?
Output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, development dataset description, and test dataset description. It's the same format we use for regulatory strategy output and Fast 510(k) input, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. AI-generated but reliable in practice.
3. Judging fuzzy relevance
Fuzzy results trail off in relevance as you scroll. Use three signals to decide how far down to go: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether your target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, you're past the relevant zone. A top hit with a low score (~0.4) and a stretched explanation is a hint the closest predicates are far away — the project may be headed for De Novo. Note the fuzzy search is a pattern match: it doesn't handle negation ("not") well, and hardware devices can appear — filter by SaMD/AI ML to cut them.
How do you judge how far down fuzzy search results to go?
Use the relevancy signals: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether the target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, results are trailing off in relevancy.
4. Device detail page: chat and citations
Click a device name to open its detail page: device facts on the left, a chat window on the right. Ask something like "Describe the training data". The answer carries little citation bubbles — click one to jump to the highlighted passage in the source PDF, so you can verify every AI answer against the document. There's also a Download PDF button for sharing.
How do you verify an AI chat answer on the device detail page?
Click the citation bubbles to jump to the relevant highlight in the source document.
Reading rule for every project: how many summaries do you read in full?
At least the three most relevant 510(k) or De Novo summaries, in full. After that, use targeted chat questions to confirm your memory quickly. The tool supports this professional habit — it doesn't replace it.
5. Side-by-side comparison
Select multiple rows in the results table (aim for under ~10), then open the PDF Viewer tab. Ask one question — it goes to all selected devices in parallel, each with citations. This is the fastest way to compare and contrast devices: training data, PCCP scope, how they handled adding new scanners, and so on.
What does the side-by-side PDF viewer mode do?
Select multiple devices, open the PDF viewer tab, and ask one question (e.g., "Describe the training data"). It queries all selected devices simultaneously with citations, so you can compare and contrast quickly.
6. Collections
With rows selected, go to the Collections tab and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). Reload that selection any time — before a client call, pull up the collection and ask questions across all of its devices at once.
How do you save a set of selected devices for later use?
Select the rows, go to the Collections tab, and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). You can reload the selection anytime and carry it into the PDF viewer and other tabs that support selections.
7. Product codes and the regulations tree
Click a product code in the results to jump to it in the regulations tree — identification text, sibling product codes, and devices you can open in a PDF viewer on the right. Click a regulation number to see its identification, special controls, and related product codes. You can also search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree. Always read the special controls if any exist for your device — it broadens your search and sharpens pre-kickoff research.
What can you do from the regulations tree view?
Browse product codes and regulation numbers, read the identification text and special controls, browse sibling product codes, open device PDFs on the right, and search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree.
8. Chart view
Click Show Chart and segment by regulation number (or product code) to see which regulations dominate your result set. Clicking a regulation takes you into the regulations tree. Great for spotting that most matches are, say, hardware laparoscopic devices — a cue to go back and filter.
How do you see which regulations dominate a search result set?
Click "Show Chart" and segment by Regulation Number. Clicking a regulation takes you to the regulations tree.
9. The predicate graph
Open the Predicates tab for a family-tree view of predicate relationships. Click a node to trace its parents and children; selections from search carry over pre-selected. Commonly predicated devices are worth reading — a lot of people predicated them for a reason. The visual lineage is also handy on client calls, e.g. to show how a predicate family evolved and justify why your predicate still holds.
In the predicate graph, why are commonly predicated devices worth reading?
A lot of people predicated them for a reason. Clicking a node traces parents and children, and selections from search carry over pre-selected.
10. Embeddings: the galaxy map
The Embeddings tab plots every matching document in a 2-D "galaxy map" where semantically similar devices cluster together. Hover or click clusters to explore, and let AI label the clusters for you. Embeddings beat product codes for grouping: two devices can carry different product codes (LLZ vs. QIH) yet do the same thing — the embedding captures the meaning of the intended use and device story. This is also exactly how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) works under the hood, and it makes a great visual on client calls.
Try it yourself
Head to the search page and work through a few of these AI/ML fuzzy searches to build intuition: perivascular fat on CT · aortic valve calcification opportunistic screening on noncontrast CT · breast cancer prediction on digital pathology slides · autism detection · gestational age prediction · a hearing aid that can also detect a pulse · foundation model based analysis of ECG · large language models · penetration test. Watch how the relevance scores, intended use, and AI Performance tables tell you when results stop being meaningful.