The Ideal Suture Material
Can be used in any tissue
Easy to handle
Good knot security
Minimal tissue reaction
Unfriendly to bacteria
Strong yet small
Won’t tear through tissues
Cheap
USES:
To bring tissue edges together and speed wound healing (=tissue apposition)
Orthopedic surgery to help stabilize joints
Repair ligaments
Ligate vessels or tis
2. The Ideal Suture MaterialThe Ideal Suture Material
• Can be used in any tissueCan be used in any tissue
• Easy to handleEasy to handle
• Good knot securityGood knot security
• Minimal tissue reactionMinimal tissue reaction
3. The Ideal Suture MaterialThe Ideal Suture Material
• Unfriendly to bacteriaUnfriendly to bacteria
• Strong yet smallStrong yet small
• WonWon’’t tear through tissuest tear through tissues
• CheapCheap
4. WhatWhat’’s It Used for?s It Used for?
• To bring tissue edges together and speedTo bring tissue edges together and speed
wound healing (=tissue apposition)wound healing (=tissue apposition)
• Orthopedic surgery to help stabilize jointsOrthopedic surgery to help stabilize joints
– Repair ligamentsRepair ligaments
• Ligate vessels or tissuesLigate vessels or tissues
5. Types of NeedlesTypes of Needles
• Eyed needlesEyed needles
– More TraumaticMore Traumatic
– Only threadOnly thread
through oncethrough once
– Suture on a reelSuture on a reel
– Tends toTends to
unthread itselfunthread itself
easilyeasily
6. Types of NeedlesTypes of Needles
• Swaged-onSwaged-on
needlesneedles
– Much lessMuch less
traumatictraumatic
– More expensiveMore expensive
suture materialsuture material
– SterileSterile
7. Points of NeedlesPoints of Needles
• TaperTaper
– AtraumaticAtraumatic
– Internal organsInternal organs
8. Points of NeedlesPoints of Needles
• CuttingCutting
• Cutting edge onCutting edge on
inside of circleinside of circle
• SkinSkin
• TraumaticTraumatic
9. Points of NeedlesPoints of Needles
• Reverse CuttingReverse Cutting
• Cutting edge onCutting edge on
outside of circleoutside of circle
• SkinSkin
• Less traumaticLess traumatic
than cuttingthan cutting
10. Cutting vs Reverse CuttingCutting vs Reverse Cutting
• CuttingCutting
• ReverseReverse
cuttingcutting
11. Shapes of NeedlesShapes of Needles
• 3/8 circle3/8 circle
• 1/2 circle1/2 circle
• StraightStraight
• SpecialtySpecialty
12. Characteristics of Suture MaterialCharacteristics of Suture Material
• Absorbable Vs. NonabsorbableAbsorbable Vs. Nonabsorbable
• Monofilament Vs. MultifilamentMonofilament Vs. Multifilament
• Natural or SyntheticNatural or Synthetic
14. Non-absorbable SutureNon-absorbable Suture
• Primarily SkinPrimarily Skin
– Needs to be removed laterNeeds to be removed later
• Stainless steel = exceptionStainless steel = exception
– Can be used internallyCan be used internally
• LigatureLigature
• OrthopedicsOrthopedics
– Can be left in place for long periodsCan be left in place for long periods
15.
16. Reading the Suture LabelReading the Suture Label
• CompanyCompany
Needle
Size
Order Code
Name
Also:
LENGTH
NEEDLE
SYMBOL
COLOR
Absorbable
or Non
17. ChoosingChoosing
Absorbable Vs. NonabsorbableAbsorbable Vs. Nonabsorbable
• How long you need itHow long you need it
to workto work
• Do you want to seeDo you want to see
the animal again forthe animal again for
suture removalsuture removal
18. Monofilament Vs. MultifilamentMonofilament Vs. Multifilament
• memorymemory easy to handleeasy to handle
• less tissue dragless tissue drag more tissue dragmore tissue drag
• doesndoesn’’t wickt wick wicks/ bacteriawicks/ bacteria
• poor knot securitypoor knot security good knot securitygood knot security
• -- tissue reactiontissue reaction ++tissue reactiontissue reaction
19. Natural Vs. SyntheticNatural Vs. Synthetic
• Natural:Natural:
– GutGut
– Chromic GutChromic Gut
– SilkSilk
– CollagenCollagen
• All are absorbableAll are absorbable
20. Gut/ Chromic GutGut/ Chromic Gut
• Made of submucosaMade of submucosa
of small intestinesof small intestines
• MultifilamentMultifilament
• Breaks down byBreaks down by
phagocytosis:phagocytosis:
inflammatory reactioninflammatory reaction
commoncommon
21. Gut/ Chromic GutGut/ Chromic Gut
• Chromic: tanned, lastsChromic: tanned, lasts
longer, less reactivelonger, less reactive
• Easy handlingEasy handling
• Plain: 3-5 daysPlain: 3-5 days
• Chromic: 10-15 daysChromic: 10-15 days
• Bacteria love this stuff!Bacteria love this stuff!
22. Collagen and SilkCollagen and Silk
• Natural suturesNatural sutures
• VERY reactive,VERY reactive,
absorbableabsorbable
• Ophthalmic surgeryOphthalmic surgery
onlyonly
23. Vicryl (Polyglactin 910)Vicryl (Polyglactin 910)
• Braided, synthetic, absorbableBraided, synthetic, absorbable
• Stronger than gut: retains strengthStronger than gut: retains strength 33
weeksweeks
• Broken down by enzymes, notBroken down by enzymes, not
phagocytosisphagocytosis
• Break-down products inhibit bacterialBreak-down products inhibit bacterial
growthgrowth
– Can use in contaminated wounds, unlikeCan use in contaminated wounds, unlike
other multifilamentsother multifilaments
24. Dexon and PGADexon and PGA
• Polymer of glycolic acidsPolymer of glycolic acids
• Braided, synthetic, absorbableBraided, synthetic, absorbable
• Broken down by enzymesBroken down by enzymes
• Both PGA and dexon have increasedBoth PGA and dexon have increased
tissue drag, good knot securitytissue drag, good knot security
• Both are stronger than gutBoth are stronger than gut
25. PDS (polydioxine)PDS (polydioxine)
• Monofilament (less drag, worse knotMonofilament (less drag, worse knot
security – lots ofsecurity – lots of ““memorymemory””))
• Synthetic, absorbableSynthetic, absorbable
• Very good tensile strength (better thanVery good tensile strength (better than
gut, vicryl, dexon) whichgut, vicryl, dexon) which lasts monthslasts months
• Absorbed completely byAbsorbed completely by 182 days182 days
26. MMaxon (polyglyconate)axon (polyglyconate)
• MMonofilament-onofilament- mmemoryemory
• Synthetic AbsorbableSynthetic Absorbable
• Very little tissue dragVery little tissue drag
• Poor knot securityPoor knot security
• Very strongVery strong
28. NYLONNYLON
• SyntheticSynthetic
• Mono or MultifilamentMono or Multifilament
• MemoryMemory
• Very little tissue reactionVery little tissue reaction
• Poor knot securityPoor knot security
29. Polymerized CaprolactumPolymerized Caprolactum
• Vetafil, Braunamid, SupramidVetafil, Braunamid, Supramid
• Multifilament suture with protein coatingMultifilament suture with protein coating
• SyntheticSynthetic
• Good knot security, easy handlingGood knot security, easy handling
• Not very reactiveNot very reactive
• DonDon’’t use in contaminated woundt use in contaminated wound
• Usually comes on a reelUsually comes on a reel
30. PolypropylenePolypropylene
• Prolene, SurgileneProlene, Surgilene
• Monofilament, SyntheticMonofilament, Synthetic
• WonWon’’t lose tensile strength over timet lose tensile strength over time
• Good knot securityGood knot security
• Very little tissue reactionVery little tissue reaction
31. Stainless SteelStainless Steel
• MonofilamentMonofilament
• Strongest !Strongest !
• Great knot securityGreat knot security
• Difficult handlingDifficult handling
• Can cut through tissuesCan cut through tissues
• Very little tissue reaction, wonVery little tissue reaction, won’’t harbort harbor
bacteriabacteria
32. Suture SizesSuture Sizes
• Sized #5-4-3-2-1-0-00-000-0000…30-0Sized #5-4-3-2-1-0-00-000-0000…30-0
– BIGGER >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SMALLERBIGGER >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SMALLER
• 00 = 2-0,00 = 2-0, ““two oughttwo ought””
• SA : 0 through 3-0 (Optho 5-0 >>7-0)SA : 0 through 3-0 (Optho 5-0 >>7-0)
• LA : 0 through 3LA : 0 through 3
34. Skin StaplesSkin Staples
• Very common in human medicineVery common in human medicine
• ExpensiveExpensive
• Very easyVery easy
• Very secureVery secure
• Very little tissue reactionVery little tissue reaction
• Removal =Removal =
– Special tool requiredSpecial tool required
35. Tissue AdhesiveTissue Adhesive
• Nexaband, Vetbond,Nexaband, Vetbond,
and othersand others
• Little strengthLittle strength
• Should not be placedShould not be placed
between skin layersbetween skin layers
or inside bodyor inside body