Cleared Traditional

ULA (POLIGLECAPRONE 251) SYNTHETIC ABSOR SUT, DYED (K920978) - FDA 510(k) Clearance

Class II General & Plastic Surgery device cleared through predicate-based substantial equivalence - typically does not require clinical trials.

K920978 · Ethicon, Inc. · General & Plastic Surgery device
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Feb 1994
Decision
715d
Days
Class 2
Risk

K920978 is an FDA 510(k) clearance for the ULA (POLIGLECAPRONE 251) SYNTHETIC ABSOR SUT, DYED. Classified as Suture, Absorbable, Synthetic (product code GAN), Class II - Special Controls.

Submitted by Ethicon, Inc. (Somerville, US). The FDA issued a Cleared decision on February 15, 1994 after a review of 715 days - an unusually long review period, suggesting complex equivalence evaluation.

This device falls under the General & Plastic Surgery FDA review panel, regulated under 21 CFR 878.4830 - the FDA general and plastic surgery device framework. The Traditional 510(k) pathway establishes clearance through substantial equivalence to a legally marketed predicate device, without requiring clinical trial data.

Device pattern: High-complexity regulatory submission. Elevated predicate reliance profile. The extended review timeline suggests the FDA required additional documentation before confirming substantial equivalence - a pattern common in complex or first-of-kind General & Plastic Surgery submissions.

View all Ethicon, Inc. devices

Submission Details

510(k) Number K920978 FDA.gov
FDA Decision Cleared Substantially Equivalent - Traditional 510(k) (SESE)
Date Received March 02, 1992
Decision Date February 15, 1994
Days to Decision 715 days
Submission Type Traditional
Review Panel General & Plastic Surgery (SU)
Summary Summary PDF
Third-party Review No - reviewed directly by FDA
Regulatory Context
Review time vs. panel average
600d slower than avg
Panel avg: 115d · This submission: 715d
Pathway characteristics
Predicate-based equivalence. No clinical trials required.

Device Classification

Product Code GAN Suture, Absorbable, Synthetic
Device Class Class 2 - Special Controls
CFR Regulation 21 CFR 878.4830
What this classification means

Class II devices require demonstration of substantial equivalence to a legally marketed predicate device. This pathway does not require clinical trials - it relies on engineering equivalence and performance data. Most General & Plastic Surgery devices follow this clearance model.