In the context of surgery especially stitching, materials used are central to determining the recovery process in patients. Of all the suture materials used in today’s practice, catgut is widely used due to its quality as an absorbable suture. However, like any other medicinal product there are advantages and catgut suture disadvantages that one has to balance in coming up with a decision in any certain surgery or operation. In the following part of this article, the specific catgut suture disadvantages will be discussed in evaluation with other kinds of sutures by analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of absorbable sutures in general.
What is Catgut Suture?
It will be pertinent to define catgut sutures before discussing the distinct catgut suture disadvantages that they hold, as a type of sutures. Made from animal’s bowels mainly from sheep or cattle intestines in most cases it is considered as the absorbable sutures used in operations. This reduces the need for suture removal by the body’s enzymes to break it down. Among the above catgut suture disadvantages make it unattractive in some surgical operations than the present day synthetic absorbable suture materials.
Catgut Suture Disadvantages
While catgut suture was earlier in vogues there are a number of catgut suture disadvantages which new inventions have exposed that may affect surgical outcome. Here are the most prominent drawbacks:
- Inconsistent Absorption Rate
Catgut suture disadvantages often are the same: the degree of its absorption can be quite unpredictable. Catgut as a natural product undergoes degradation in the body based on the patient’s body chemistry and on the conditions prevailing in the particular surgery. This will make some patients absorb the bandages earlier or leave them on for longer than should be expected, thus slowing the rates of healing.
- Tissue Reaction
The next major catgut suture disadvantages are that it easily irritated or inflamed the tissue it is touching. Catgut being natural material it is likely to cause an immune reaction thereby swelling, reddening or even infection at the wound site. This can lead to compromised healing and complication in even minor injuries, as well as contribution to infection in sensitive regions such as the mucosa.
- Reduced Tensile Strength
Hence catgut has comparatively lesser tensile strength as analyzed with relation to modern synthetic absorbable sutures. This implies that the suture might not put more forces towards the firm holding of the tissue as it is needed in various surgeries when tissue repair and regeneration takes longer time. These catgut suture disadvantages make it unsuitable in long term healing compared to some of the other suture materials.
- Absolute minimal use in some processes
This is mainly because the material is relatively weak and may cause tissue reactions hence not suitable for all kinds of operations. For instance, when the tissue undergoes ordinary tension as in cardiovascular surgery; this causes wound dehiscence or reopening through catgut sutures. These catgut suture disadvantages restrict use to surgery of softer tissues that include gastrointestinal surgery and gynaecologic surgery.
- The Variation in Manufacturing
The problem with catgut sutures is that, being a natural suture material, it is possible to find a variation in calibre from batch to batch. This creates an inconsistency which impairs performance and results in a variation in the absorption times and tensile strength.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Absorbable Sutures
It is necessary to discuss the catgut suture disadvantages in the context of the main category of the absorbable suture material. Just to make a clear picture about the utilization of absorbable sutures the following guides would be helpful in determining the advantages and disadvantages of absorbable sutures.
Advantages of Absorbable Sutures:
- No Need for Removal: Cleansable sutures dissolve naturally within the body and do not require the use of a scalpel to cut and remove.
- Time-Saving: Compared to nonabsorbable sutures, the absorbable sutures take shorter time for both patients and surgeons especially where the surgical site is hard to reach after operation.
- Reduced Scarring: They are usually absorbed thus causing little scar tissue, which is vital in cosmetic and repair surgeries.
Disadvantages of Absorbable Sutures:
- Variable Absorption Rates: As with catgut, some of the other types of suture material may be absorbed at very irregular intervals depending on the material used and the state of the patient.
- Weaker Over Time: The major disadvantage of the absorbable sutures is that, they gain greater resorption rate at a slower pace and as such, have slower tensile strength than the non-absorbable ones; this might be a disadvantage especial in areas that require more support while healing a wound over a longer period.
- Higher Tissue Reaction: While it is a fact that synthetic absorbable sutures in many cases incite lesser amount of inflammation than catgut there always remains a possibility of an immune reaction depending on the material used.
Modern Suture Replacements for Catgut
Based on the above discussed catgut suture disadvantages, medical practitioners have migrated to synthetic absorbable sutures like Vicryl (polyglactin 910) as they guarantee standard performance. For example, Vicryl sutures offer slow and predictable bio degradation features and relatively better tensile strength hence offer good support for tissue procedures that need such support for some time.
Why Choose Orion Sutures?
Orion Sutures is manufacturer of catgut and synthetic absorbable sutures to offer its product range of superior quality to utmost satisfaction of the surgeons worldwide. If you are exploring the other suture material for their disadvantages in comparison with the catgut suture or you need any help or advice on what type of suture material is most suitable for a certain surgery, then, Orion Sutures will be there to assist you.
Here’s why Orion Sutures is the right choice:
Uncompromising Quality: We make every effort that the suture we develop is able to meet required international standards to have a safe outcome after every surgery.
Variety of Options: The possibilities have stretched from catgut through silk and other fine materials to the ones produced at the present time; we present here a large variety of absorbable sutures, suitable for various purposes.
Reliable Support: We have a dedicated suture specialist team that is always willing and ready to offer a lot of assistance in arriving at the necessity required for the procedure.
Conclusion
Recognized for centuries in many operations, catgut sutures remain associated with several disadvantages of primary catgut sutures: firstly, the rate of absorption may be inveterate; secondly, tensile strength decreases and tissue reaction is possible. It is only when the various catgut suture disadvantages are discussed and the relevant advantages and disadvantages of absorbable sutures are presented that rational decisions for superior patient care can be made by medical professionals.
Orion Sutures has an ever-expanding line of suture products that are of the highest quality to help deliver the best outcomes with surgeries. Please visit our website for more product information and details regarding your unique surgical requirements, or give us a call.