Suture materials Flashcards
Define suture
material used to promote wound healing by surgically joining margins/ends of wound & holding them securely together to reduce tension between them
Define suturing
process of applying a suture
Define ligature
Material used to close blood vessels & stop haemorrhage
What are some characteristics of an ideal suture
- high tensile strength
- easy to use for surgeons
- easy to tie & secure knot
- highly uniform tensile strength, permitting use of finer size
- inhibit tissue reactions & wicking
- non-toxic, non-carcinogenic & non-allergenic
- easily sterilised
- surface must minimise bacterial adhesion
- maintain its properties for sufficient time
- inexpensive
What are the different origins of suture materials?
What are the different behaviours of suture materials?
What are the different structures of suture material?
Define tensile strength
Breaking strength per unit area
Define memory
Tendency to retain original configuration
Define ‘chatter’ and tissue drag
Lack of smoothness or friction whilst passing through tissue
Define tissue reaction
Tissues respond to the implantation of sutures as they do to other foreign material & can provoke an inflammatory response
What are the advantages vs disadvantages of absorbable suture material
What are the advantages vs disadvantages of non-absorbable suture material
What are the advantages vs disadvantages of braided/multifilament suture material
What are the advantages vs disadvantages of monofilament suture material
Describe the different sizes of suture material
Describe USP vs metric sizing
What are the 2 types of needle fixation
eyed and swaged
What are the disadvantages of eyed needles
- double strand of suture material
- multiple uses –> blunt
- increased tissue trauma
Describe swaged needles
- Minimal trauma
- single use
- optimal penetration properties
- needle of choice
What are the 3 parts of a needle
- point
- body
- eye
Describe needle curvature
- Needle’s radius of curvature if expressed in proportion to a circle
- The deeper the wound, the more curved the needle
What are the different needle section shapes
Describe needle composition
- Needles are made from stainless alloys
- Must be sufficiently rigid to resist forces applied to them during handling, but must be sufficiently flexible to bend before breaking
- Bending property called “ductility” (warns surgeon that forces placed on needle are too great)
