Explaining Types of sutures, suturing materials, characteristics of ideal sutures, factors to determine suture selection.

1. What is Suture?
Suture is a strand used to ligate the blood vessels
and approximate the tissues.
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2. THE IDEAL SUTURE
An ideal suture must have following properties:
Use for any procedure
Easy to Handle
Minimal Tissue Reaction
High Breaking Strength
Holds Knot Securely
Absorbable
Predictable Absorption
Sterile
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3. Characteristics of Sutures
Absorbable
Breaking strength – Limit of tensile strength at which suture breaks
Capillarity – Extent to which body fluid absorbed in the body
Elasticity- Measure of the ability of the material to gain its original form after deformation (Silk)
Knot strength – Amount of force necessary to cause a knot to slip
Memory – Inherent capability of suture to return to or to maintain its original gross shape –
Polypropylene
Plasticity – Measure of the ability to deform without breaking and to maintain a new form after
relief of the deforming force - polypropylene
Pliability – Ease of Handling
Tensile strength – Amount of tension or pull the suture can withstand before it breaks
Wound breaking strength – Limit of tensile strength of healing wound at which separation
wound edge occurs.
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4. Suture size
Size refers to the diameter of the suture strand.
The more zeroes characterizing a suture size, the smaller the
resultant strand diameter (eg, 4-0 or 0000 is larger than 5-0 or
00000). The smaller the suture, the less tensile strength of the
strand.
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5. CLASSIFICATION OF SUTURES
ABSORBABLE NONABSORBABLE
MONOFILAMENT MULTIFILAMENT (BRAIDED)
SYNTHETIC NATURAL
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6. ABSORPTION TERMINOLOGY
(Absorbable Sutures)
LOSS OF TENSILE STRENGTH
ABSORPTION OF MASS
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7. Loss of Tensile Strength Definition
Tensile Strength retention refers to the amount of strength
“INVIVO” that a suture material has retained.
This can be measured in days and as a percentage of original
strength
Loss of Tensile strength can take place without any visible
loss of suture bulk
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8. WWW.SUTURES.IN
Absorbable
PGA
Polyglactin 910
Polydiaxonone
Polyglecaprolactone
Catgut
Non – Absorbable
Nylon
Silk
Polypropelene

9. Factors that determine suture
selection
Surgeons familiarity with the suture
Physical & biological characteristics of the suture
Healing characteristics of the tissue in which it is
placed
Presence of infection or contamination
Patients age, weight and status of health and
expected postoperative course of the patient
Cosmetic results
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10. WWW.SUTURES.IN
Thank You
HLL Lifecare Limited
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