RT Journal Article ID 35e05d6477309b76 A1 Edlich, Richard A1 Gubler, K. Dean A1 Wallis, Anne G. A1 Clark, Jamie J. A1 Dahlstrom, Jill J. A1 Long III, William B. T1 Wound Closure Sutures and Needles: A New Perspective JF Journal of Environmental Pathology, Toxicology and Oncology JO JEP(T) YR 2010 FD 2011-01-31 VO 29 IS 4 SP 339 OP 361 K1 polybutester suture K1 PolysorbTM K1 CaprosynTM K1 SurgalloyTM needle AB Ideally, the choice of the suture material should be based on the biological interaction of the materials employed, the tissue configuration, and the biomechanical properties of the wound. Measurements of the in vivo degradation of sutures separate them into two general classes: absorbable and nonabsorbable sutures. The nonabsorbable sutures and absorbable sutures are classified according to their origin. When considering an absorbable suture’s tensile strength in vivo, we recommend that the manufacturer provides specific recommendations of its holding strength, rather than the percentage retained of its initial tensile strength. The newest advance in nonabsorbable sutures is polybutester suture, which is a block copolymer that contains butylene terephthalate (84%) and polytetramethylene ether glycol terephthalate (16%). The expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) suture has been expanded to produce a porous microstructure that is approximately 50% air by volume. The clinical performance of polybutester suture has been enhanced by coating its surface with a unique absorbable polymer. A search for a synthetic substitute for absorbable collagen sutures led to the development of the POLYSORBTM sutures that can reliably approximate tissues with a low risk for infection. The latest innovation in the development of monofilament absorbable sutures has been in the rapidly absorbing CAPROSYNTM suture. A new high-nickel stainless steel, SURGALLOYTM, has been used recently to manufacture surgical needles. Biomechanical performance studies of cutting edge needles made of S45500 stainless steel alloy and SURGALLOYTM stainless steel demonstrated that needles made of SURGALLOYTM had superior performance characteristics over those made of S45500. PB Begell House LK https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/0ff459a57a4c08d0,794121941f886951,35e05d6477309b76.html