Development of needles and sutures for microsurgery.
At present, the smallest needle commonly available is about 130 mum in diameter in combination with a suture of about 25 mum in diameter. Marked reductions in size, particularly of the needle, are advantageous for microvascular surgery. A needle of about 70 mum in diameter, welded to a suture of about 18 mum diameter, has been developed. In initial tests, it has performed satisfactorily in the repair of the carotid artery of the white rat. It is shown that the basic properties of materials severely limit further reductions in the size of needles and sutures.
D000818:Animals; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D051381:Rats; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D013537:Sutures; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures