Suture and Biomaterials

Question 1

What are the six suture characteristics to consider?

Answer 1

Suture size 
Flexibility 
Surface characteristic/coating 
Capillarity 
Knot strength + secruity

Question 2

What is the size range of suture?

Answer 2

12-0 (smallest) to 7 (largest)

Question 3

What is memory?

Answer 3

Inherent capability of suture to return to or maintain original shape

Question 4

What does memory refer to?

Answer 4

Flexibility

Question 5

What, besides memory, plays a role in flexibility?

Answer 5

Torsional stiffness + Diameter

Question 6

What is the most flexible type of suture?

Answer 6

Silk

Question 7

What is drag?

Answer 7

Amount of friction created as suture is pulled through the skin

Question 8

What happens when a suture has high drag?

Answer 8

Creates more micro-trauma

Question 9

What type of tissue has more drag?

Answer 9

Braided

Question 10

What is the main reason that braided suture is coated?

Answer 10

To decrease capillarity

Question 11

What is capillarity?

Answer 11

Degree to which absorbed fluid is transferred along suture

Question 12

What type of suture tends to have the highest capillarity?

Answer 12

Multifilament

Question 13

Do monofilament sutures have capillarity?

Answer 13

No

Question 14

What types of coatings can be on suture?

Answer 14

Water soluble or insoluble

Question 15

What does an antibacterial coating on suture do?

Answer 15

Creates a zone of INHIBITION around suture

Question 16

What is tensile strength?

Answer 16

Ability of material to resist deformation and breakage

Question 17

What causes a decrease in tensile strength?

Answer 17

As suture is absorbed/stretches

Question 18

What happens to tensile strength as an incision site heals?

Answer 18

Decrease in tensile strength of the suture and increase in the tissue

Question 19

What is relative knot security?

Answer 19

Strength require to break or untie a knot

Question 20

What type of suture tends to have the best knot security?

Answer 20

Braided

Question 21

What can the surgeon do to decrease the suture tensile strength?

Answer 21

Grab the suture with an instrument

Question 22

What is elasticity?

Answer 22

Degree to which suture will dorm under stress or load + return to original form when load is removed

Question 23

What is plasticity?

Answer 23

degree to which suture will deform without breaking and then maintain shape

Question 24

What is pliability?

Answer 24

Ease of handling and ability of suture to change shape

Question 25

What is creep?

Answer 25

Tendency of suture to slowly and permanently deform under constant stress

Question 26

What defines a suture as absorbable?

Answer 26

loses most of its tensile strength in 60 to 90 days

Question 27

What are the two kinds of natural fibers?

Answer 27

Silk + Catgut

Question 28

What type of suture is silk?

Answer 28

Non-absorbable, but will degrade after 2 years

Question 29

What is catgut made from?

Answer 29

Small intestine of submucosa of sheep

Question 30

What are the benefits of chronic catgut?

Answer 30

Delays absorption

Decreases inflammation

Question 31

How do most sutures degrade?

Answer 31

Hydrolysis

Question 32

How does catgut degrade?

Answer 32

Protelysis

Question 33

When is surgical mesh used?

Answer 33

Repair of slow healing tissue

Question 34

What compounds are surgical mesh made from?

Answer 34

Polyprolene

SIS

Question 35

What does the small pore size prevent?

Answer 35

Ingrowth of capillaries + Fibroblasts

Question 36

What does the presence of SIS make surgical mesh?

Answer 36

Xenograph

Question 37

How does tissue adhesion work?

Answer 37

Polymerizes once it touches anions within the wound tissue

Question 38

What is the proper way to place tissue adhesive?

Answer 38

Pinch the edges together then place the glue

Question 39

What is the name of circular staples?

Answer 39

EEA

Question 40

What are the types of linear staples?

Answer 40

TA + GIA + LDS