Cleared Traditional

ETHICON ABSORBABLE POLY (L-LACTIDE/GLYCOLIDE) SURGICAL SUTURE, UNDYED (K964345) - FDA 510(k) Clearance

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

K964345 · Ethicon, Inc. · General & Plastic Surgery device
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Dec 1996
Decision
46d
Days
Class 2
Risk

K964345 is an FDA 510(k) clearance for the ETHICON ABSORBABLE POLY (L-LACTIDE/GLYCOLIDE) SURGICAL SUTURE, UNDYED. Classified as Suture, Absorbable, Synthetic, Polyglycolic Acid (product code GAM), Class II - Special Controls.

Submitted by Ethicon, Inc. (Somerville, US). The FDA issued a Cleared decision on December 16, 1996 after a review of 46 days - a notably fast clearance cycle.

This device falls under the General & Plastic Surgery FDA review panel, regulated under 21 CFR 878.4493 - 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: Fast-track predicate clearance. Standard predicate reliance. The short review cycle indicates strong predicate alignment - the FDA found sufficient equivalence without extended technical review.

View all Ethicon, Inc. devices

Submission Details

510(k) Number K964345 FDA.gov
FDA Decision Cleared Substantially Equivalent - Traditional 510(k) (SESE)
Date Received October 31, 1996
Decision Date December 16, 1996
Days to Decision 46 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
69d faster than avg
Panel avg: 115d · This submission: 46d
Pathway characteristics
Predicate-based equivalence. No clinical trials required.

Device Classification

Product Code GAM Suture, Absorbable, Synthetic, Polyglycolic Acid
Device Class Class 2 - Special Controls
CFR Regulation 21 CFR 878.4493
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.

Regulatory Peers - GAM Suture, Absorbable, Synthetic, Polyglycolic Acid

All 147
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