An in vitro evaluation of tensile strength of synthetic sutures used in nasal surgery
Nevzat Demirbilek1, Mustafa Çelik2, Cenk Evren1
1Medilife Beylikdüzü Hastanesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Bölümü, İstanbul, Türkiye
2Kafkas Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Kulak Burun Boğaz Anabilim Dalı, Kars, Türkiye
Keywords: Breaking strength, nasal cavity, polyglactin, polypropylene.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the tensile strength of surgical synthetic absorbable (polyglactin [PG] suture [Vicryl®]) and non-absorbable (polypropylene [PP] suture [Prolene®]) sutures in simulated interstitial tissue over a period of 10 days.
METHODS: Two suture materials, PG suture (Vicryl®) and PP suture (Prolene®), were used in 4-0 gauges. The tensile strengths of both suture materials were measured as knotless and knotted without any processing. Suture materials were subjected to knotted and knotless tensile testing using an Instron 3369 Universal tester. The materials were then kept in plasma for 10 days to simulate an in vitro environment and tensile strength was measured as both knotted and unknotted.
RESULTS: Polypropylene sutures were found to be stronger than PG sutures (p<0.01). This result was similar in both knotted and unknotted measurements. There was no statistically significant difference between knotted and unknotted values before and after immersion (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION: Unknotted and knotted PG sutures have lower tensile strength than PP sutures. This characteristic was unchanged after plasma immersion to simulate tissue. Absorbable sutures have relatively less suture-related complications compared to non-absorbable sutures. Because of all of these characteristics, we believe that PP sutures can be safely used in cartilage shaping and cases requiring stabilization in nasal surgery.