What is the most important consideration when selecting nonabsorbable poly sutures?

As with all types of nonabsorbable sutures one of the most important considerations is the specific suture location and the tension or pressure that may be applied to the suture location during the healing, recovery, rehabilitation and recovery process. Unlike absorbable sutures that will gradually lose their tensile strength and lower there ability to support the wound, poly sutures will remain consistently in place and providing support. In fact studies show that this constant strength retention shows no significant change in wound support indefinitely with in vivo use. The good news is that poly sutures, for all their strength and support, are still suitable for soft tissue ligation and approximation as well. They have good flow through the skin which makes them an excellent choice for delicate plastic surgery demands as well for repair of very challenging parts of the body such as the aorta or in other types of cardiovascular surgery.

What are the specific differences between polyester sutures and polypropylene monofilament sutures?

Polypropylene sutures are a monofilament of polyolefin, which is a synthetic linear. Polypropylene is considered to be a thermoplastic polymer and is very resilient to all types of chemical reactions including reactions with acids and bases that may lead to the degrading of other types of materials. It is considered to be naturally very flexible and, with modern production technology it is absolutely uniform in diameter along the entire suture. The chemical properties and structure of monofilament poly sutures make them incredibly resistant to fraying, an important consideration in suture and wound closure.

Polyester sutures are braided, which means they have added features that are important in specific types of procedures. Like polypropylene the material is very strong and is designed to withstand the pressure of movement around the suture area. It is also nonabsorbable and provides indefinite tensile strength in vivo. The braided structure of this poly suture also provides additional optimal knot security which is essential in wound ligation and approximation. Often polyester sutures are the go to option for attaching prosthetic implants.

What added features to poly sutures offer in general and what is the best packaging option for general use surgical or emergency rooms?

Poly sutures all come with distinctive options in coloring. They can be a bright blue, green or alternate color to stand out for easy poly suture removal. There is typically also the option for more neutral color such as clear or white for stitches that are not going to be removed but rather will remain within the body. Packaging options for the poly sutures are typically of all suture types. There are needled, pre cut and sterile packages of suture available. These are sold by the box, perfect for fast access in emergency rooms or for having just the suture needed for surgical procedures. There is also the option to purchase ligating reels of suture that allows the surgeon or physician to customize the length and diameter of the suture based on the specific procedure requirements.

Are poly suture products appropriate for general soft tissue repair? What specialized types of surgical procedures are they also used for?

Poly suture products are considered to be indicated for use in a wide variety of different surgical procedures. They are ideal for general soft tissue approximation and ligation because of the materials, reduced fraying and resistance to any type of materials. Since it is so strong and durable and causes minimal risk to tissue inflammation is also commonly used in abdominal wall wound repair, particularly with cesarean section procedures, hernia repair and cardiovascular surgery and repair. It is also considered to be the suture of choice for many plastic surgery procedures as well as for surgical procedures involving neurological tissue. There are also indications for use in ophthalmic surgery, making this a very versatile suture.

Since it is available either a blue color that is easy to locate for stitch removal or a clear option that is ideal for stitches that need to remain unseen, the surgeon has several choices in products, uses and options for these sutures.

What are the options of needled packaging with any type of poly suture?

Different suture manufacturers may market different types of needled packaging options with poly sutures. Common options include needles with a taper point, soft cut, reverse cut, and precision point. The size of the needle and the type of needle will determine the size of the suture that comes needled and sterilized within the sealed package. Various companies may offer a range of lengths of the suture or they may have one standardize length that can be modified once the package is opened.
For specialized surgical procedures or for easily customized sutures it is also possible to purchase the poly suture material on ligating reels. This does require needling at the time of use but allows maximum flexibility in needle and suture selection.

Are there any drawbacks or possible disadvantages to the use of poly suture products in general surgical or specialized procedures?

Surgeons that use these suture products can appreciate that there are several advantages to use. It is very durable once in place and is very low in generating any type of reactivity by the surrounding tissue. It is also highly uniform in diameter which is common in monofilament types of sutures. With minimal memory and a high level of resistant to fraying this suture material is considered by many surgeons that specialize in cardiovascular surgery as well as plastic surgery to be the best suture option. Plastic surgeons also prefer this suture since it can be tied with very flat knots, perfect for preventing irritation in sensitive skin areas.

However, because of the nature of the polypropylene structure there is a slightly increased risk of fragility with the suture under some types of procedures. It tends to have less flexibility than nylon sutures and may be more difficult to use because of this slightly increased rigidity.