Catgut, an absorbable sterile strand, is obtained from collagen derived from healthy mammals. It was originally prepared from the submucosal layer of the intestines of sheep. It is used as a surgical ligature.
According to the latest figures (2007), 45 million surgical procedures were performed on an inpatient basis. The most frequently performed procedures include:
| Procedure |
Procedures per Year |
| Arteriography and angiocardiography using contrast |
1.9 million |
| material (used to evaluate blockages in the arteries that |
|
| supply blood to the heart) |
|
| Cesarean section |
1.3 million |
| Cardiac catheterizations |
1.1 million |
| Endoscopy of small intestine with or without biopsy |
1.0 million |
