Ex vivo comparison of barbed and unbarbed sutures for the closure of caecal and pelvic flexure enterotomies in horses.
Abstract: In this study the caecum and large colon were harvested from 24 slaughtered horses. On each sample, an 8‑cm long enterotomy was performed. Enterotomies were closed using either barbed or unbarbed glycomer‑631. We compared the time to close, appearance, length of suture material, bursting pressure, and costs associated with each type of material. Our findings demonstrated that time to close was significantly shorter (caecum, P = 0.034; pelvic flexure, P = 0.039) using barbed sutures (caecum 610.4 seconds; pelvic flexure 699.3 seconds) than unbarbed sutures (caecum 661.0 seconds, pelvic flexure 743.1 seconds). The length of suture material used was significantly less (caecum, P < 0.0001; pelvic flexure, P < 0.0001) with barbed (caecum 28.1 cm, pelvic flexure 32.0 cm,) compared with unbarbed sutures (caecum 41.6 cm; pelvic flexure 46.6 cm). There were no significant differences in bursting pressure (caecum, P = 0.294; pelvic flexure, P = 0.430) between barbed (caecum, 172.5 mmHg, pelvic flexure, 188.9 mmHg) and unbarbed sutures (caecum 178.3 mmHg, pelvic flexure 183.3 mmHg). The cost was higher using barbed sutures. However, the use of barbed sutures was faster, left less suture material in the tissue, and sustained comparable bursting pressure to unbarbed sutures. We therefore conclude that barbed sutures are a valid alternative to unbarbed sutures for closing large intestine enterotomy in horses.
Publication Date: 2019-09-30 PubMed ID: 31599552DOI: 10.12834/VetIt.691.3383.2Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article explores the efficiency and effectiveness of two types of sutures – barbed and unbarbed – in closing caecal and pelvic flexure enterotomies in horses. The study found that barbed sutures were faster to apply, used less material and sustained the same pressure as unbarbed sutures, despite being more expensive.
Research Methodology
- The research subjects were 24 horses which had been slaughtered for other reasons, from which the caecum and large colon were extracted.
- An 8-cm long incision or ‘enterotomy’ was created on each harvested organ.
- These incisions were then closed using one of either two types of sutures: barbed or unbarbed. The specific material used for the sutures was glycomer-631.
Comparison of Suture Types
- The researchers examined various factors to see how the two types of sutures compared. These factors were: the time taken to close the enterotomy; the appearance of the sutured area; the quantity of suture material used; the bursting pressure (the pressure at which the suturing fails); and the associated costs of each type of suture.
- The results demonstrated that suturing with barbed sutures required significantly shorter time than with unbarbed sutures.
- The barbed sutures also utilized significantly less material than the unbarbed sutures.
- No significant differences were found between the two suture types when it came to bursting pressure. This means that both sutures were able to withstand approximately the same pressure before breaking.
- The study also highlighted a higher cost associated with barbed sutures compared to unbarbed sutures.
Conclusions and Recommendations
- Despite the cost factor, the research concluded that barbed sutures present a valid alternative to unbarbed sutures.
- This conclusion was based on the overall speedier application of barbed sutures, the lower quantity of material left in the tissue and their comparable performance in terms of bursting pressure.
- It was therefore recommended that barbed sutures could be used in place of unbarbed sutures when closing large intestine enterotomies in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Giusto G, Caramello V, Comino F, Gandini M.
(2019).
Ex vivo comparison of barbed and unbarbed sutures for the closure of caecal and pelvic flexure enterotomies in horses.
Vet Ital, 55(3), 269-274.
https://doi.org/10.12834/VetIt.691.3383.2 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, largo P. Braccini 2‑5, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy. E‑mail: gessica.giusto@unito.it.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cecum / surgery
- Digestive System Surgical Procedures / methods
- Digestive System Surgical Procedures / statistics & numerical data
- Digestive System Surgical Procedures / veterinary
- Horses / surgery
- Pelvis / surgery
- Suture Techniques / statistics & numerical data
- Suture Techniques / veterinary
- Sutures / statistics & numerical data
- Sutures / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Adler DMT, Østergaard S, Jørgensen E, Jacobsen S. Bidirectional knotless barbed versus conventional smooth suture for closure of surgical wounds in inguinal castration in horses.. BMC Vet Res 2020 Jul 17;16(1):250.
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