Polyglycolic Acid Sutures Research Articles

Evaluation of Coated and Uncoated Synthetic Absorbable Sutures in Rabbit Limbal Wounds

Polymer coatings have been applied to braided synthetic absorbable sutures to decrease tissue drag and improve knot tying characteristics. To examine the possibility that increased "slipperiness" would decrease knot security, coated (Dexon Plus) and uncoated (Dexon S) polyglycolic acid sutures were compared in rabbit limbal wounds. Both suture types had comparable knot security, tissue reaction, and absorption rates, while the coated sutures caused less tissue drag. Clinical trials of coated polyglycolic acid suture for limbal wounds are warranted.

Does subcuticular green polyglycolic acid suture tattoo?

Summary: An histological study of the behaviour of subcuticular green polyglycolic acid (GPGA) suture was undertaken to investigate if the green dye is retained by macrophages or histiocytes. Fifteen rats had subcuticular closure of a dorsal incision with GPGA suture. The closure site was excised at intervals and examined by light and electron microscopy. There was no evidence of dye retention, but a brisk inflammatory reaction was noted.

The resistance of polyglycolic acid sutures to attack by infected human urine.

Polyglycolic acid sutures were incubated at 37 degrees C in broth, and in 0.22 mu millipore filtered human urine infected with Escherichia coli, Str. faecalis, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. At 3 days the Proteus had destroyed the polyglycolic acid sutures in the urine but not in the broth. None of the other organisms had any effect on the tensile strength of the suture material. Under the scanning electron microscope the Proteus-destroyed polyglycolic acid sutures showed multiple transverse microfractures. Polyglycolic acid sutures should not be used for closing urothelium in patients with a proven Proteus infection.

Assessing Ureteral Wound Healing by Pressure Flow Technique

Bilateral ureteral anastomoses were performed on dogs with either chromic catgut, polyglycolic acid (PGA), polyglactin 910 or polypropylene suture. The infusion pressure technique of Whitaker was employed at 4 and 7 months after operation to assess ureteral function. The pressure flow data indicated that ureteral function was best when PGA sutures were used to accomplish the anastomosis. The results of this study suggest that the infusion pressure technique is useful in evaluating ureteral wound healing.

Knot integrity of coated synthetic absorbable sutures used for extraocular muscle surgery in a rabbit model.

Knot integrity of a new coated polyglycolic acid suture (Dexon Plus) was compared to that using uncoated polyglycolic acid (Dexon-S) and coated polyglactin-910 (Vicryl) for extraocular muscle recessions in rabbits. Knot integrity was found to be virtually identical using 6-0 sutures of any of these materials. Top throws of 5-0 coated Dexon or 5-0 coated Vicryl had a tendency to loosen in a few cases, though this was eliminated in later operations by more careful tightening of knots and avoidance of cutting suture ends to a length less than 2 mm. Subjectively observed differences in "tissue drag" were insignificant in this model.

Second generation of absorbable suture material. Tissue reaction and indication (author's transl)

Polyglycolic acid (PGA) sutures have proved to be superior than other, nonabsorbable suture materials: a higher traction capacity and knot-tearing security, a defined and nearly linear decrease of traction capacity, no immunological reactions, very little capillarity, minimal tissue reaction, nearly no scar formation, and a bactericidal effect. PGA sutures of the second generation have the same advantages, but surgical handling is so much improved that they may be technically employed in unfavorable locations. In the surgery of gastrointestinal tract and respiratory organs there is a trend to connect all layers with one suture.

Use of monofilament polyglycolic acid suture for experimental peripheral nerve repair

Use of monofilament polyglycolic acid suture for experimental peripheral nerve repair

Primary vascular anastomosis in growing pigs: Comparison of polypropylene and polyglycolic acid sutures

Stenosis remains a significant problem in vascular anastomoses performed in the growing patient. This study compares the growth of vascular anastomoses performed with either polypropylene or polyglycolic acid sutures. End-to-end infrarenal aortic anastomoses were performed in 18 piglets. Twelve were performed with polypropylene; in six all sutures were placed in a continuous fashion (Group 1A), and in the other six the posterior sutures were continuous and the anterior were interrupted (Group B). Six anastomoses were performed with polyglycolic acid sutures placed in a continuous fashion (Group 2). The animals were killed 6 months following operation. The abdominal aorta was removed, measured, burst tested, and subjected to histologic studies. All anastomoses were patent. There were no burst failures at 300 mm Hg mean pressure. All polypropylene sutures in Group 1A and the continuous portion in Group 1B had straightened without breaking. Straightening without polypropylene suture breakage resulted in stricture in three Group 1A anastomoses and one Group 1B anastomosis; there was intraluminal polypropylene suture material in two Group 1A and five Group 1B anastomoses. Bowstring formation of the straightened, continuous portion of the polypropylene suture in two Group 1A anastomoses and one Group 1B anastomosis resulted in adherent thrombus. Group 2 anastomoses were without stricture and were grossly indistinguishable from adjacent normal vessel. Histologic examination showed varying degrees of chronic inflammation in the polypropylene anastomoses but negligible inflammation in the polyglycolic acid anastomoses. These results suggest that continuous suture techniques with polypropylene in growing vessels may result in stenosis and/or thrombosis. Moreover, synthetic absorbable polyglycolic acid sutures will be of use in vascular anastomoses in growing patients and in cases in which exacting technique with minimal postsurgical inflammation may be crucial to patency.

Tensile Strength of Corneoscleral Wounds Repaired with Absorbable Sutures

The tensile strength of healing corneoscleral wounds repaired with 9-0 and 10-0 nylon, polyglycolic acid, and polyglycolic-lactic acid sutures was measured in rabbit eyes at the first, third, and sixth postoperative weeks. In all cases, the tensile strength of the wound increased to about 50 percent of that of intact control tissue by the sixth week. There were no differences between the tensile strengths of wounds and the severity of inflammation in the anterior chamber between eyes sutured with nylon and those sutured with absorbable materials. Conjunctival injection persisted longer around nylon sutures, however, than it did around either polyglycolic acid or polyglycolic-lactic acid sutures. The absorbable sutures maintain sufficient strength to support healing corneoscleral wounds.

各種の皮膚硬化症に対する合成吸収性縫合糸包埋法によるツボ刺激の試み

In Chuzan Medical School of Canton city in China, I saw an interesting treatment in that some pieces of catgut were inserted in the subcutaneous tissue of the selected meridian points for hypertention and migraine, etc. It exerted a beneficial effect for about two weeks.Then I tried similar treatment for various cutaneous scleroderma using synthetic absorbable (polyglycolic acid) suture instead of catgut. This treatment was carried out in 8 cases (PSS; 6, linear sclerosis; 1, scleredema adultorum; 1) and had an exellent effect on 1 case of PSS, a moderate effect on 3 cases of PSS and 1 case of scleredema adultorum and no effect on 2 cases of PSS, 1 case of linear scleroderma. This stimulation was effective for about two or three weeks.However, this treatment appeared less effective on PSS than the low-frequency electrical acupuncture treatment.

The Effects of Lipids on the Mechanical Properties of Polyglycolic Acid Sutures

The Effects of Lipids on the Mechanical Properties of Polyglycolic Acid Sutures

Comparison of the Applicability of Polyglycolic Acid and Silk Sutures in Arterial Surgery in Dogs

36 arterial anastomoses in 18 dogs were performed with polyglycolic acid (PGA) and silk sutures. It was found that both sutures allow correct arterial anastomoses, with similar clinical, arteriographic and macroscopic pictures. Microscopically it was ascertained that proliferation of the intima and subintimal layer as well as fibrosis in the media and adventitia were smaller around PGA sutures, which were almost completely resorbed within 3 months after the operation.

Microvascular anastomosis with absorbable and nonabsorbable sutures—A comparative study in rats

Polyglycolic acid, polypropylene, and nylon sutures were used to anastomose the aortas of 40 rats. Comparative studies of the healing process at the suture sites were performed. The long-term observations, by means of light and scanning electron microscopy, revealed that the regeneration of endothelium was more rapid and the endothelium had a smoother surface in the aortas that received the polyglycolic acid sutures than in the aortas receiving polypropylene or nylon sutures because the polyglycolic acid sutures were absorbed after 6 weeks. It was concluded that polyglycolic acid suture material may be more desirable than nonabsorbable suture material in microvascular anastomoses.

The effect of bacteria on absorbable sutures.

In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed on polyglycolic acid and plain catgut sutures to study the effects of bacteria on their rate of degradation. Experiments with Strep, mites, E. coli and Staph. albus in culture showed that the polyglycolic acid sutures degraded faster in broth controls than in a broth containing bacteria as measured by the loss in breaking strength. No difference was observed with the catgut. Polyglycolic acid sutures in subcutaneous sites in rats inoculated with Staph. albus again degrade slower than in similar wounds which were not deliberately infected. With high bacterial counts, the catgut showed the reverse trend although no differences were noted at lower counts.

LATE COMPLICATIONS OF 7–0 POLYGLYCOLIC (DEXON) SUTURES IN CATARACT SURGERY

The late complications of corneo-scleral wound healing after the 15th postoperative day were recorded in 108 routine adult cataract operations using 7-0 polyglycolic acid (Dexon) sutures and compared with 80 routine adult cataract operations using 9-0 monofilament nylon (9-10 Ethilon Nylon) sutures. In 37 eyes of the 7-0 Dexon group filtrating blebs, gaping of the corneoscleral wound, anterior chamber collapse, or decrease in the intraocular pressure were observed compared with one filtrating bleb in the 9-0 nylon group. The majority of late complications occurred 22 to 42 days after surgery. Ten filtrating blebs remained after a 5 months' follow-up period. The most probable cause of the late complications in corneo-scleral wound healing was discussed.

Subcuticular Closure of Thoracic Incisions

The recent report by Murray and Blaisdell in theArchives(113:477-480, 1978) defines the advantages of continuous synthetic absorbable suture material in the closure of abdominal and thoracic incisions. These are a reduction in the time required for closure and a probable reduction in wound infection and dehiscence. We have noted a third distinct benefit. For the past year, we have closed many of our median sternotomy and lateral thoracotomy incisions with continuous polyglycolic acid sutures not only in the muscle, fascia, and subcutaneous layers, but also subcuticularly in the skin. This latter is facilitated by using No. 00 suture on a large C-23 needle that penetrates the thick skin of the chest much better than the smaller cutting needles used by plastic surgeons to close thin skin. We have used the same technique to close incisions in the legs for saphenous vein harvest. With practice, the subcuticular closure takes

Polyglycolic acid (Dexon) sutures in Escherichia coli infected urine.

The tensile strength, knot strength and stretch of polyglycolic acid (Dexon) was studied after emersion in physiological saline, sterile urine and infected urine. Tests were made each day under controlled conditions over a 10 day period. The results are compared with those of other earlier studies. Tensile strength, knot strength and stretch were found to be fully acceptable in all studies, and there are no grounds to advise against the use of Dexon when urine is infected.

The Use of Polyglycolic Acid Sutures (Dexon) in Urological Surgery

The Use of Polyglycolic Acid Sutures (Dexon) in Urological Surgery

Prominent ears

This new method for the correction of a prominent ear is original, simple, and efficient. It consists of the retroauricular fixation of the scapha by means of three stitches of polyglycolic acid suture in the posterior auricular muscle after a wide dissection. This results in a transposition of this muscle on the scapha which assures a harmony of the latter with a gentle naturally rounded antihelix. Thus one achieves the main aims of this type of operation with a very simple technique.

Polyglycolic acid sutures in general practice

Abstract Dexon, polyglycolic acid polymer, which has been used in the human field for several years, has recently been introduced to the veterinary profession. Comparisons are made between this material and other sutures, primarily catgut, in a wide variety of surgical procedures. Advantages gained with this material from general use in one practice are given.