A surgical suture is a medical device that is used to bind skin and other bodily tissues together to seal a surgical incision or an accident tear. A surgical needle and thread are used to apply the suture, which is then fastened with a surgical knot. Proper suturing procedures also assist in reducing the risk of bleeding and infection, which are common complications of surgical wounds and skin injuries. Suturing cutaneous tissue has been practised for thousands of years. Today, it is utilized by surgeons, doctors, dentists, nurses, medics, podiatrists, and other specially educated medical staff in suturing.
- These are constructed of naturally occurring materials that degrade when they come into contact with the skin. The most common substance used currently is chromic catgut, which is made from processed collagen extracted from the submucosa of animal intestines. The material degrades naturally in seven days, but it is treated with chromium salts to postpone the process, allowing it to retain its strength for up to 2-3 weeks. Within three months, the body has totally absorbed it. There are also synthetic absorbable sutures manufactured from Vicryl and Monocryl polymers, which are hydrolysed and have been shown to help minimize tissue responses associated with the chromic gut.
Nylon Sutures Non-Absorbable Sutures have high tensile strength. Nylon sutures are only available in black. Nylon sutures have great knot security and may be removed fast with no tissue attachment. These sutures are infection-resistant. Nylon sutures are commonly used in general surgery, cutaneous surgery, and cosmetic surgery. In most cases, they are not suggested for the attachment of artificial prostheses in cardiovascular surgery. They also do not promote infection or sustain tensile strength in tissues forever. One will find nylon sutures in black colour.
- A polyamide suture – ORLON is a non-absorbable, sterile monofilament surgical suture made of a macromolecule having repeating units connected by amide bonds. Polyamide is created by the ring-opening polymerization of caprolactam. Caprolactam has six carbons, so the name is “Nylon 6.” When caprolactam is heated at 533 K in an inert nitrogen environment for around 4-5 hours, the ring splits and polymerization occurs. The molten mixture is then fed through spinnerets to generate Nylon 6 fibres.
Polyamide suture is widely used in both human and animal medicine for skin closure, ophthalmic closure, general closure, orthopaedics, microsurgery, soft tissue approximation, and ligation. Polyamide suture fibres are strong, with good tensile strength, flexibility, and lustre. They are wrinkle-resistant and resistant to abrasion and chemicals like acids and alkalis. Polyamide has a glass transition temperature of 47 °C. It does not encourage bacterial development since it is a monofilament suture. It is neither affected by blood nor compromised by tissue enzymes. It has a lengthy tensile strength even in contaminated regions since it does not deteriorate over time. This suture is well-known for its minimal tissue drag, ease of handling, low memory, and high strength.
Sutures play a crucial role in the treatment of patients. Therefore, the only best quality sutures should be used to have the best result.