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Surgical Sutures (surgical + suture)
Selected AbstractsEFFECT OF RE-STERILIZATION OF SURGICAL SUTURES BY ETHYLENE OXIDEANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 1-2 2007Prem Anand Nagaraja Background: Surgical suture packs are opened (and external packaging removed) on the operating table prior to surgery. Some of these suture packs may not be used in the surgery for reasons of inappropriateness or change in the surgical technique or following accidental contact with a non-sterile surface. These unused sutures with their foil packs still unopened are sometimes re-sterilized using ethylene oxide to allow for reuse. This re-sterilization of unopened suture packs can be contentious, due to legislation and health regulations in developed countries. The purpose of the present paper was to measure the effect of such repeated gas sterilization on sutures. Methods: The knot tensile strength was measured for new sterile sutures and ethylene oxide re-sterilized sutures. The tests were conducted on two available brands of sutures, including both absorbable and non-absorbable synthetic sutures. Results: No statistically significant difference was observed in the tensile strengths between the two sets of sutures, before and after re-sterilization. Some foil packs showed slight crimping after re-sterilization, but remained intact. No humidity was observed inside the foil packs. Conclusions: Re-sterilization of unused suture foil packs can be carried out without loss of tensile strength. [source] Loading and Release of Ibuprofen in Multi- and Monofilament Surgical SuturesMACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE, Issue 9 2006Raül Zurita Abstract Summary: The preparation of mono- and multifilament sutures incorporating ibuprofen as an anti-inflammatory agent is considered. Poly(p -dioxanone) monofilament samples can be loaded by a molecular diffusion process using a swelling agent such as dichloromethane. The mechanical properties have been measured and have not shown a significant change for the ibuprofen loaded samples in knot tensile assays. The kinetics of both the loading process and the release in a Sörensen's medium at 37,°C have been investigated. Diffusion coefficients have also been estimated from film and slab poly(p -dioxanone) samples containing ibuprofen and their release behavior compared to that shown by monofilaments. Release from a coating copolymer based on lactide, , -caprolactone and trimethylene carbonate (PLA/PCA/PTMC 10/60/30) has also been studied. This coating solubilizes ibuprofen molecules well and can be used for braided sutures or when a rapid dose of ibuprofen is preferred. [source] Adverse reaction to surgical sutures in thyroid surgeryHEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 1 2003Eitan Hocwald MD Abstract Background. A mild reaction to surgical sutures after thyroid surgery is common and is characterized by local edema and inflammation around the surgical scar. Severe reaction with microabscesses and granulomatous masses is quite rare. Methods and Results. Two cases of severe reaction to silk sutures after thyroid surgery are presented. Meticulous surgical removal of all surgical sutures along with granulomatous masses, granulation tissue, and microabscesses cured both patients. Pathologic examination revealed giant cells and lymphocytes. Intradermal skin tests were positive to silk sutures. The etiology and the treatment options are discussed. Conclusions. In rare cases, severe reaction to silk sutures may develop after thyroid surgery. Surgical removal of the stitches is the treatment of choice. Intradermal skin test is a good predictor of allergy to sutures. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 24: 000,000, 2002 [source] Knowledge-Based Approach towards Hydrolytic Degradation of Polymer-Based BiomaterialsADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 32-33 2009Dieter Hofmann Abstract The concept of hydrolytically degradable biomaterials was developed to enable the design of temporary implants that substitute or fulfill a certain function as long as required to support (wound) healing processes or to control the release of drugs. Examples are surgical implants, e.g., sutures, or implantable drug depots for treatment of cancer. In both cases degradability can help to avoid a second surgical procedure for explanation. Although degradable surgical sutures are established in the clinical practice for more than 30 years, still more than 40% of surgical sutures applied in clinics today are nondegradable.1 A major limitation of the established degradable suture materials is the fact that their degradation behavior cannot reliably be predicted by applying existing experimental methodologies. Similar concerns also apply to other degradable implants. Therefore, a knowledge-based approach is clearly needed to overcome the described problems and to enable the tailored design of biodegradable polymer materials. In this Progress Report we describe two methods (as examples for tools for this fundamental approach): molecular modeling combining atomistic bulk interface models with quantum chemical studies and experimental investigations of macromolecule degradation in monolayers on Langmuir,Blodgett (LB) troughs. Finally, an outlook on related future research strategies is provided. [source] Bioactive and mechanically strong Bioglass®-poly(D,L -lactic acid) composite coatings on surgical suturesJOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH, Issue 2 2006Q. Z. Chen Abstract New coating processes have been investigated for degradable (Vicryl®) and nondegradable (Mersilk®) sutures with the aim to develop Bioglass® coated polymer fibers for wound healing and tissue engineering scaffold applications. First, the aqueous phase of a Bioglass® particle slurry was replaced with a poly(D,L -lactic acid) (PDLLA) polymer dissolved in solvent dimethyle carbonate (DMC) to act as third phase. SEM observations indicated that this alteration significantly improved the homogeneity of the coatings. Second, a new coating strategy involving two steps was developed: the sutures were first coated with a Bioglass®,PDLLA composite film followed by a second PDLLA coating. This two-step process of coating has addressed the problem of poor adherence of Bioglass® particles on suture surfaces. The coated sutures were knotted to determine qualitatively the mechanical integrity of the coatings. The results indicated that adhesion strength of coatings obtained by the two-step method was remarkably enhanced. A comparative assessment of the bioactivity of one-step and two-step produced coatings was carried out in vitro using acellular simulated body fluid (SBF) for up to 28 days. Coatings produced by the two-step process were found to have similar bioactivity as the one-step produced coatings. The novel Bioglass®/PDLLA/Vicryl® and Bioglass®/PDLLA/Mersilk® composite sutures are promising bioactive materials for wound healing and tissue engineering applications. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2006 [source] Learning microsurgical suturing and knotting techniques: comparative dataMICROSURGERY, Issue 1 2006D.Sc., Istvan Furka M.D., Ph.D. Correctly performed surgical sutures are the basis of surgical safety. This retrospective survey was conducted among participants (n = 263) taking graduate and postgraduate courses between 2000,2004. Placement of sutures, time to perform knotting, safety of knots, and quality of knot stability were tested. None of the students had been previously instructed in microsurgical techniques. At the beginning of the training program, 90,95% of participants damaged the suturing thread at several places. By the end of the course, knotting times significantly decreased in both groups. Graduates decreased their time from 6.8 ± 2.34 min to 3.28 ± 0.71 min (mean ± standard error of the mean), and postgraduates decreased their time from 5.02 ± 3.25 min to 1.54 ± 0.54 min (mean ± standard error of the mean). In our opinion, "mass training" to teach the basics of microsurgery is not a good approach. Instead, individual training should be provided, as tutors offer invaluable advice, and adjust almost each stitch and knot during teaching sessions. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Microsurgery 26: 4,7, 2006. [source] | |||||||||||||