Suture materials and patterns Flashcards
What is the difference between absorbable and non absorbable suture?
ABSORBABLE = rapid + undergo degradation and rapid loss tensile strength <60 days
NONABSORBABLE = retains tensile strength >60 days
What is the difference in capillarity between monofilament and multifilament material?
Monofilament (noncapillary – does not carry disease or bacteria) versus multifilament (more capillary)
For surgical cat state whether it is absorbable or non-absorbable and whether it is natural or synthetic: And then its: 1. Composition 2. Capillarity 3. Absorption 4. Tensile strength 5. Knot security 6. Suture reactivity 7. Handling 8. Sterilisation
Absorbable and natural
- Composition - Formaldehyde treated sub-mucosa (collagen) from cow or sheep
- Capillarity - Multifilament with smooth monofilament appearance
- Absorption - by phagocytosis, chromatisation decreases the speed of absorption, increased with acidic pepsin from the stomach + other acidic environments + highly vascular tissue, often occurs past 90 days
- Tensile strength - plain gut has > 67% of its tensile strength by 7 days, chromic gut looses 50% by 7 days then 83% by 14 days then 100% by 21 days - it has a poor strength to size ration
- Knot security - good when dry (can swell when wet)
- Suture reactivity - reactive foreign body
- Handling - easy handling
- Sterilisation - cannot autoclave as denatures, radiation = good, ethylene oxide may prolong absorption times
For polyglactin 910 (PG910) state whether it is absorbable or non-absorbable and whether it is natural or synthetic: And then its: 1. Composition 2. Capillarity 3. Absorption 4. Tensile strength 5. Knot security 6. Suture reactivity 7. Handling 8. Sterilisation
Absorbable synthetic
- Composition -Polymer of glycolic and lactic acid (ratio of 9:1)
- Capillarity - Multifilament
- Absorption - hydrolysis greater in hot and alkaline environments think infected urine. More hydrophobic than PGA (looses tensile strength slower). Complete absorption between 40-90 days (70)
- Tensile strength - Good ratio– loss of strength 50% @ 14 days then 80% at 21 days
- Knot security - poor knot security
- Suture reactivity - Well tolerated in most tissues – good for vascular as no reaction is incited
- Handling - Good handling but ++++ tissue drag
- Sterilisation
For Polydioxanone (PDSII) and Polyglyconate (PGT, Maxon) state whether it is absorbable or non-absorbable and whether it is natural or synthetic: And then its: 1. Composition 2. Capillarity 3. Absorption 4. Tensile strength 5. Knot security 6. Suture reactivity 7. Handling 8. Sterilisation
Absorbable synthetic
- Composition - PDS – polymer of polydioxanone, Maxon – polymer of polytrimethylene carbonate + glycolic acid
- Capillarity - Monofilament
- Absorption - Degraded by hydrolysis, PDS, Maxon – some absorption by 91 days, complete by 182 days, significantly slower than PG910 above
- Tensile strength - Excellent tensile strength to size ratio – initial strength > monofilament nylon and polypropylene
- Knot security - Good
- Suture reactivity - Very little tissue reactivity
- Handling - Minimal tissue drag, does have some memory, greater flexibility than above (PG910)
- Sterilisation
For Poliglecaprone 25 (Monocryl) – Monocryl plus has triclosan state whether it is absorbable or non-absorbable and whether it is natural or synthetic: And then its: 1. Composition 2. Capillarity 3. Absorption 4. Tensile strength 5. Knot security 6. Suture reactivity 7. Handling 8. Sterilisation
Absorbable synthetic
- Composition - Synthetic polymer
- Capillarity - Monofilament
- Absorption - By hydrolysis – complete within 90-120 (119 days)
- Tensile strength - 50% strength by 10 days then 100% by 21 days
- Knot security - Good
- Suture reactivity - Minimal to none
- Handling - Good – no tissue drag- soft and flexible
- Sterilisation
For Polyglytone 6211 state whether it is absorbable or non-absorbable and whether it is natural or synthetic: And then its: 1. Composition 2. Capillarity 3. Absorption 4. Tensile strength 5. Knot security 6. Suture reactivity 7. Handling 8. Sterilisation
Absorbable synthetic
- Composition
- Capillarity - monofilament
- Absorption
- Tensile strength - 40-50% @ 5d, 70-80% @ 10d, 100% @ 21d – complete absorption in 56 days
- Knot security - Excellent
- Suture reactivity
- Handling - soft + flexible
- Sterilisation
For silk state whether it is absorbable or non-absorbable and whether it is natural or synthetic: And then its: 1. Composition 2. Capillarity 3. Absorption 4. Tensile strength 5. Knot security 6. Suture reactivity 7. Handling 8. Sterilisation
Non-absorbable natural
- Composition - processed sil
- Capillarity - Multifilament
- Absorption - Some but limited
- Tensile strength - 30% @ 14 then 50% @1y then 100% @ 2y
- Knot security - Good – wetting decreases strength by 10-15%
- Suture reactivity - can cause GIT ulceration in the lumen
- Handling - Excellent (gold standard)
- Sterilisation
For stainless steel state whether it is absorbable or non-absorbable and whether it is natural or synthetic: And then its: 1. Composition 2. Capillarity 3. Absorption 4. Tensile strength 5. Knot security 6. Suture reactivity 7. Handling 8. Sterilisation
Non-absorbable natural
- Composition - Alloy
- Capillarity - Available as either
- Absorption - none
- Tensile strength - 30% by 14d then 50% by 1y then 100% by 2y
- Knot security - Good – wetting decreases strength by 10-15%
- Suture reactivity - tissue reaction - silk may induce ulceration in GIT if present in lumen
- Handling - gold standard
- Sterilisation
For nylon state whether it is absorbable or non-absorbable and whether it is natural or synthetic: And then its: 1. Composition 2. Capillarity 3. Absorption 4. Tensile strength 5. Knot security 6. Suture reactivity 7. Handling 8. Sterilisation
Non-absorbable synthetic
- Composition - Amine coated thermoplastic
- Capillarity - Available as monofilament + multifilament
- Absorption - Little – some extent by chemical degradation
- Tensile strength - Good strength to size ratio – intermediate in strength (similar to polypropylene). Monofilament will loose tensile strength 30% by 2 years, multifilament – 70-90% by 180 days
- Knot security - poor to fair
- Suture reactivity - inert
- Handling - poor with memory
- Sterilisation
For polymerized caprolactam state whether it is absorbable or non-absorbable and whether it is natural or synthetic: And then its: 1. Composition 2. Capillarity 3. Absorption 4. Tensile strength 5. Knot security 6. Suture reactivity 7. Handling 8. Sterilisation
Non-absorbable synthetic
1. Composition - Polyamide suture of the nylon family – enclosed in a sheath of proteinaceous material
2. Capillarity - Multifilament
3. Absorption - Non-absorbable
4. Tensile strength - Good size to strength ratio>than nylon
Caprolactam loses about 15-20% strength when wet
5. Knot security - Fair
6. Suture reactivity - breaking down of coating increases the degree of tissue reaction
7. Handling - good handling characteristics
8. Sterilisation - autoclaving results in decreased tensile strength, chemical sterilisation does not make it safe or sterile for use in other tissues (Ethylene oxide is required)
For polyester fibres state whether it is absorbable or non-absorbable and whether it is natural or synthetic: And then its: 1. Composition 2. Capillarity 3. Absorption 4. Tensile strength 5. Knot security 6. Suture reactivity 7. Handling 8. Sterilisation
Non-absorbable synthetic
- Composition - Plain or coated forms
- Capillarity - Multifilament
- Absorption - Non-absorbable
- Tensile strength - High tensile strength , Excellent tensile strength to size ratio
- Knot security - Uncoated polyester has high co-efficient of friction
- Suture reactivity - Causes significant tissue reaction + incidence of sinus tract formation is highest with polyester implantation
- Handling - coatings improve handling and reduce tissue drag
- Sterilisation
For polypropylene and polybuster state whether it is absorbable or non-absorbable and whether it is natural or synthetic: And then its: 1. Composition 2. Capillarity 3. Absorption 4. Tensile strength 5. Knot security 6. Suture reactivity 7. Handling 8. Sterilisation
Non-absorbable synthetic
1. Composition - PL – plastic poylmer of propylene , PB – polymer of polybutylene and polytetramethylene
2. Capillarity - Monofilament
3. Absorption - Nonabsorbable
4. Tensile strength - PL – fair to good,
PB – good
5. Knot security - PL- fair to good,
PB – good
6. Suture reactivity - Pl least thrombogenic so good in vascular surgery
7. Handling - PL – quite difficult to handle
PB – excellent handling somewhat elastic meaning its V.good for plastics and tendon + ligament repair
8. Sterilisation
Does increase the gauge or increasing the number of throws increase the strength of the suture more?
Increasing the gauge increases the strength more than number of sutures
Does increasing gauge or number of throws increase the bulk and suture reaction more?
Increasing the gauge has a greater effect