Radiation Sterilization of Medical Devices and Supplies. III : The Effect of Irradiation on the Braid Silk Sutures and the Properties of Silicone Grafted Silk Sutures.

Abstract

Braid silk sutures (size, 2-0) pretreated or non-pretreated with silicone (Toshiba Co., TSF 484) were subjected to gamma radiation and effects of irradiation on the tensile strength and the solubility of the sutures were investigated. On the other hand, grafting and water repellent degree of the sutures grafted by silicone with gamma irradiation, were compared with those of the siliconized sutures by heating. The tensile strength of the sutures were decreased with increasing radiation dose, but no difference was observed between the decreasing degree of the strength of the sutures irradiated at sterilization dose (2.5 Mrad) and that of the sutures autocraved. No significant decrease was observed in the water repellent of the grafted sutures for long boiling and for immersion in storage solution (ethanol or carbolic acid). It seems to be promissing to produce silicone grafted sutures sterilized by irradiation.