Elasticity and breaking strength of synthetic suture materials incubated in various equine physiological and pathological solutions.
Abstract: Selection of suture material in equine surgery is often based on costs or subjective factors, such as the surgeon's personal experience, rather than objective facts. The amount of objective data available on durability of suture materials with regard to specific equine physiological conditions is limited. Objective: To evaluate the effect of various equine physiological and pathological fluids on the rate of degradation of a number of commonly used suture materials. Methods: In vitro material testing. Methods: Suture materials were exposed in vitro to physiological fluid, followed by biomechanical analysis. Three absorbable suture materials, glycolide/lactide copolymer, polyglactin 910 and polydioxanone were incubated at 37°C for 7, 14 or 28 days in phosphate-buffered saline, equine serum, equine urine and equine peritoneal fluid from an animal with peritonitis. Five strands of each suture material type were tested to failure in a materials testing machine for each time point and each incubation medium. Yield strength, strain and Young's modulus were calculated, analysed and reported. Results: For all suture types, the incubation time had a significant effect on yield strength, percentage elongation and Young's modulus in all culture media (P<0.0001). Suture type was also shown significantly to influence changes in each of yield strength, percentage elongation and Young's modulus in all culture media (P<0.0001). While the glycolide/lactide copolymer demonstrated the highest Day 0 yield strength, it showed the most rapid degradation in all culture media. For each of the 3 material characteristics tested, polydioxanone showed the least variation across the incubation period in each culture medium. Conclusions: The duration of incubation and the type of fluid have significant effects on the biomechanical properties of various suture materials. These findings are important for evidence-based selection of suture material in clinical cases.
© 2013 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2013-11-20 PubMed ID: 24004343DOI: 10.1111/evj.12181Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research studies the effect of equine physiological and pathological fluids on the durability of different suture materials typically used in equine surgery. It found that the type and duration of incubation of the suture material affect its mechanical properties, information that can assist in the practical selection of suture materials.
Research Objective
- The study aimed to assess how various horse physiological and pathological fluids degrade select commonly used suture materials. This is a step towards a more objective approach in the choice of suture materials in equine surgery – replacing cost and personal preference factors.
Methods
- The researchers used in vitro material testing to carry out the study, exposing different suture materials to the physiological fluid and then conducting a biomechanical analysis.
- The suture materials under study were glycolide/lactide copolymer, polyglactin 910, and polydioxanone. These were incubated at 37°C for 7, 14, or 28 days in various fluids including phosphate-buffered saline, horse serum, horse urine, and equine peritoneal fluid.
- Five strands of each suture material were tested to breaking point in a materials testing machine for every time point and every type of incubation fluid.
- Properties such as yield strength, strain, and Young’s modulus were computed, analyzed, and compared.
Results
- The results demonstrated that both the incubation duration and the type of suture used significantly influenced the yield strength, percentage elongation and Young’s modulus in all tested media.
- The glycolide/lactide copolymer showed the highest initial yield strength but also experienced the most rapid degradation in all tested fluids.
- The polydioxanone suture showed the least variation across the incubation periods in each tested medium, suggesting more stable properties.
Conclusions
- The research concludes that the suture material’s incubation length and fluid type significantly affect the suture’s biomechanical properties. This insight is vital for guiding evidence-based decisions in the selection of suture materials for equine surgery.
Cite This Article
APA
Kearney CM, Buckley CT, Jenner F, Moissonnier P, Brama PA.
(2013).
Elasticity and breaking strength of synthetic suture materials incubated in various equine physiological and pathological solutions.
Equine Vet J, 46(4), 494-498.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12181 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Body Fluids / chemistry
- Elasticity
- Equipment Failure Analysis
- Horses
- Materials Testing / veterinary
- Sutures / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Abullais SS, AlOsman SS, AlQahtani SM, Khan AA, Nahid R, Basheer SA, Jameel AS. Effect of Common Mouthwashes on Mechanical Properties of Suture Materials Used in Dental Surgeries: A Laboratory Experiment. Polymers (Basel) 2022 Jun 16;14(12).
- Gierek M, Merkel K, Ochała-Gierek G, Niemiec P, Szyluk K, Kuśnierz K. Which Suture to Choose in Hepato-Pancreatic-Biliary Surgery? Assessment of the Influence of Pancreatic Juice and Bile on the Resistance of Suturing Materials-In Vitro Research. Biomedicines 2022 May 2;10(5).
- Sloff M, Janke HP, de Jonge PKJD, Tiemessen DM, Kortmann BBM, Mihaila SM, Geutjes PJ, Feitz WFJ, Oosterwijk E. The Impact of γ-Irradiation and EtO Degassing on Tissue Remodeling of Collagen-based Hybrid Tubular Templates. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2018 Sep 10;4(9):3282-3290.
- Stott PM, Parikh S. Techniques for the Management of Failed Surgery for Fractures of the Neck of Femur. Open Orthop J 2017;11:1223-1229.
- Tomihari M, Yamanokuchi K, Yanagawa M, Tagawa M, Tanaka T, Hasegawa T. A basic study on the mechanical properties of synthetic absorbable sutures under various pH conditions in vitro. J Vet Med Sci 2025 Jun 1;87(6):667-674.
- Merkel K, Grzybowska K, Strach A, Gierek M. The Degradation of Absorbable Surgical Threads in Body Fluids: Insights from Infrared Spectroscopy Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2024 Oct 21;25(20).
- Sjöberg I, Law E, Södersten F, Höglund OV, Wattle O. A preliminary investigation of the subcutaneous tissue reaction to a 3D printed polydioxanone device in horses. Acta Vet Scand 2023 Nov 20;65(1):48.
- Ojastha BL, Jeevitha M. An Evaluation of the Tensile Strength of Polyglactin Sutures After Immersion in Different Herbal Mouthwashes: An In Vitro Study. Cureus 2023 Aug;15(8):e43407.
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