Hay Jolly! Been to the Harbor Freight store lately?
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Many years ago, our heart surgeons decided that using something other than wires was appropriate for closing the sternum. They used a synthetic suture called "Merseline" instead.
(I'll be happy to be corrected by @bachophile on the nature of Merseline).
Anyhow, from what they said, it was a difficult suture to use, in the sizes need for approximating a sternotomy. One of them thought that it would be easier to "bring the knot down" using a spoon,
Yes, a spoon. The kind you'd have at dinner.
He had one of the techs cut a small (about ⅛") notch into the tip of the spoon. Using that notch, he was able to bring the knot down onto the surface of the sternum to get a tighter approximation.
I have no idea whatsoever if it worked. But, he used it, always, for his open heart cases.
My point is that ingenuity like this might have a place. Like I said, I have no idea if it was better, effective, or whatever. Surgeons with whom I worked later always used wire to close the sternum. But, this guy's idea of using a common utensil to get the job done was interesting.
I'm sure that if he tried to do that today, he's never, ever, get FDA approval for using a dinner spoon in heart surgery.
I'm also sure that none of the items you see in Harbor Freight's store would be approved. Because FDA.
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