Capillary activity of surgical sutures and suture-dependent bacterial transport: a qualitative study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the multitude of new synthetic absorbable sutures (both monofilament and multifilament) in comparison with older materials with regard to capillarity and bacterial transport.


METHODS
Sutures of United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) 4-0 thickness were arranged in a three-chamber system under sterile conditions. Either a colorant (liquid transport evaluation) or bacteria (bacterial transport evaluation) were added to the contamination chamber, and movement of colorant or bacteria was evaluated for as long as 30 days.


RESULTS
None of the monofilament sutures transported colorant or bacteria. Colorant transport was found on the pseudomonofilament and multifilament sutures between the first and the fifth day. Escherichia coli were transported on the majority of the multifilament sutures, although no transport was found on silk or polyester sutures. Bacterial transport was most often evident in tests using the motile Proteus mirabilis.


CONCLUSIONS
All multifilament and pseudomonofilament suture designs allowed transport of colorants and bacteria to some degree. The movement of fluids and bacteria did not depend on the absorptive capacity of the sutures, coating, or the presence of an open suture end.
Geiger
Dieter
D
Surgical Clinic I, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Debus
Eike-Sebastian
ES
Ziegler
Ulrich E
UE
Larena-Avellaneda
Alex
A
Frosch
Matthias
M
Thiede
Arnulf
A
Dietz
Ulrich A
UA
D002197:Capillary Action; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology*; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D008751:Methylene Blue; D011091:Polyesters; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D011513:Proteus mirabilis / Q000502:physiology*; D047011:Silk; D013537:Sutures / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000592:standards*
D011091:Polyesters; D047011:Silk; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D008751:Methylene Blue