Effect of petroleum gauze packing on the mechanical properties of suture materials.
OBJECTIVE
To test the tensile properties of knotted suture made of 4 different suture materials and exposed to petroleum gauze.


METHODS
We tested the tensile strength of United States Pharmacopeia size 0-0 gauge polydioxanone, polyglyconate, glycolide/lactide copolymer, and silk when exposed to petroleum packing or saline. Suture materials were randomized, and knots were tied and then evaluated via tensiometer to the point of knot failure.


RESULTS
A total of 285 knots were tied in 8 groups based on material and exposure to saline or petroleum gauze. We found that petroleum exposure knots failed at a mean of 116.7 N (SD = 31.5) and that saline soaked knots failed at 123.8 N (SD = 32.0). We conducted a 4 × 2 factorial analysis of variance, finding knots exposed to petroleum failed at a statistically significantly lower tensile strengths than saline soaked knots (p = 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
Petroleum-exposed sutures fail at lower tensions than saline-exposed sutures.
Section of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland 44195 Ohio, USA.
Tyler M
TM
Muffly
Bruna
B
Couri
Alexandra
A
Edwards
Nathan
N
Kow
Aaron J
AJ
Bonham
Marie Fidela R
MF
Paraíso
D001458:Bandages; D008422:Materials Testing; D010636:Phenols; D013537:Sutures; D013718:Tensile Strength
D010636:Phenols; C004554:2,4,6-tribromophenol