Suture Materials

Question 1

Define suture

Answer 1

material used to promote wound healing by surgically joining the margins or ends of the wound and holding them securely together to reduce the tension between them

Question 2

What is ligature

Answer 2

The material used to close blood vessels and stop haemorrhage

Question 3

What are the characteristics of an ideal suture

Answer 3

High tensile strength
Easy-to-use for surgeons
Easy to tie, secure knot
Highly uniform tensile strength, permitting the use of finer size
Must inhibit tissue reactions and wicking
Must be non-toxic, non-carcinogenic and non-allergenic, as should any degradation products
Easily sterilised
Its surface must minimise bacterial adhesion
Standardisable characteristics
Maintain its properties for sufficient time
Inexpensive

Question 4

Describe an absorbable suture material

Answer 4

materials that are fully degraded and absorbed by the body once placed

Question 5

Describe a non-absorbable suture material

Answer 5

materials that stay in place for an indefinite period (actually, the definition of this is 60 days) without changing (breaking down) in any way

Question 6

What are the different structures of suture materials

Answer 6

monofilament
multifilament

Question 7

Describe the memory of a suture material

Answer 7

tendency to retain original configuration

Question 8

what is ‘chatter’ or ‘tissue drag’?

Answer 8

lack of smoothness or friction whilst passing through tissue

Question 9

What is tissue reaction?

Answer 9

Tissues respond to the implantation of sutures as they do to other foreign material and can provoke an inflammatory response

Question 10

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of absorbable suture material

Answer 10

Question 11

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of non-absorbable suture material

Answer 11

Question 12

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of multifilament suture material

Answer 12

Question 13

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of monofilament suture material

Answer 13

Question 14

What factors effect the tissue reaction of a suture

Answer 14

absorption characteristics
natural vs. synthetic
phagocytosis ~(more severe) vs. hydrolysis

Question 15

If infection is present in the tissue, which structure of suture material is better?

Answer 15

Monofilament as it has a smaller surface area for bacteria to settle and grow

Question 16

Identify the types of needles

Answer 16

A - closed
B - closed
C - split
D - swaged

Question 17

What are the issue with eyed needles

Answer 17

double strand of suture material
multiple use => blunt
increased tissue trauma

Question 18

Describe the characteristics of a swaged needle

Answer 18

minimal trauma
single use
optimal penetration
properties
More expensive
The needle of choice

Question 19

Name the parts of the needle

Answer 19

the point
the body
the eye (or swage)

Question 20

Describe the curvature of a needle

Answer 20

A needle’s radius of curvature is expressed in proportion to a circle
The deeper the wound, the more curved the needle

Question 21

Describe the composition of a needle

Answer 21

Made of stainless steel alloys
Must be sufficiently rigid to resist forces applied to them during handling, but must be sufficiently flexible to bend before breaking (ductility)