Skip to content

Find our latest news, stories and press releases

Delivering long-term value for our stakeholders

Explore career opportunities and more

Impacting health for humanity

  1. Home/
  2. News/
  3. Innovation/
  4. Sutures: The iconic Johnson & Johnson invention that revolutionized medicine
An infographic with fun facts about the history of Johnson & Johnson’s surgical sutures

Sutures: The iconic Johnson & Johnson invention that revolutionized medicine

To commemorate the month that the company first listed sutures in its 1887 inventory book, we’re unspooling fun facts about the ubiquitous medical innovation.

A common thread in Johnson & Johnson’s storied century-plus history is its commitment to innovation in healthcare. One of its most revolutionary inventions? The mass production of sterile surgical sutures, which forever changed the field of medicine, and helped improve the outcomes of patients going into the operating room for the better.

The revolutionary product first appeared in a Johnson & Johnson cash book (a business ledger listing inventory and expenditures) as “ligatures” in January 1887. Since then, suture innovation has continued at the company, leading to a long string of follow-up products that are changing the surgery game in their own right.

This infographic spins the full tale of the great history—and exciting future—of those signature sutures.

A graphic of surgical sutures

When you’ve been innovating for 140 years …

Discover more about the history of Johnson & Johnson.
Johnson & Johnson's new museum at its world headquarters in New Jersey
© Albert Vecerka/Esto. All rights reserved.

More from Johnson & Johnson

Shockwave: Inside the development of a cutting-edge system to treat coronary artery disease

Johnson & Johnson’s Patrick Stephens explains how innovative technology using ultrasonic acoustic pressure waves has made the treatment of certain types of cardiovascular disease easier for doctors and safer for patients.

What is asthma?

This chronic inflammatory disease causes flareups that make it difficult to breathe. Learn about the two types of asthma, common triggers and how Johnson & Johnson is developing approaches that may lead to better treatments.

Johnson & Johnson named a 2026 Fortune World’s Most Admired Company

The company made the prestigious list for the 24th consecutive year, thanks to its dedication to innovation and social responsibility, among other criteria.