Results of an observational study in carotid surgery using absorbable suture material.
BACKGROUND
Absorbable sutures are not well accepted for reconstruction in high-pressure arterial segments because the suture line might break and aneurysmal changes could develop. This hypothesis was checked in the clinical setting of carotid surgery.


METHODS
The morphology of the carotid artery was evaluated by color-coded ultrasound in four groups of patients: group A, 25 patients who underwent standard carotid endarterectomy and patchplasty, including a transverse plication for which absorbable sutures had been used; group B, 10 patients who underwent eversion endarterectomy and reinsertion using absorbable sutures; group C, 15 patients who underwent standard carotid endarterectomy and patchplasty without a transverse placation; group D, 20 patients who suffered from atherosclerotic disease but did not have previous carotid surgery or other carotid pathology. All operations had been performed at least 3 years earlier than the actual examination.


RESULTS
Along the internal carotid artery, where an aneurysmal change would have been expected to occur, no differences in absolute size or calculated elliptical cross-sectional vessel area were found. Patients after eversion endarterectomy did not show signs of aneurysmal changes in the area of reinsertion at the carotid bifurcation.


CONCLUSIONS
Even in the long-term, for this group of patients, no significant aneurysmal changes of arterial reconstructions in carotid surgery performed with absorbable sutures were observed.
Aleksic
Marko
M
Department of Vascular Surgery, University Clinic of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50924, Cologne, Germany. marko.aleksic@uk-koeln.de
Uedelhoven
Jan
J
Matoussevitch
Vladimir
V
Luebke
Thomas
T
Tomagra
Salvatore
S
Krug
Barbara
B
Brunkwall
Jan
J
D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013537:Sutures; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color