Monday, July 30, 2012

Why is Ethibond Polyester Suture a Good Choice for Cardiovascular Surgery


There are several different suture materials used in precise and safe wound closure. Preferably, 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. An example of a suture that can be used in such cases is ETHIBOND suture. It belongs to the class of non absorbable sutures. It is a polyester suture that is composed of fibers of polyethylene terephthalate, which is a synthetic linear polyester resulting when glycol is reacted with a dibasic acid. The polyesters are long chains with a high molecular weight and aromatic rings that recur again and again as a vital part of the compound.  Examples of polyester sutures include Surgidac, TiCron made by Syneture Covidien and Ethibond Excel and Ethibond, made by Ethicon.

These polyester sutures were the first man-made braided suture material made known to last for an indefinite period in tissues. Their acceptance in surgery was confined to a small section in the beginning because the suture had a high coefficient of friction. This used to get in the way of the passage through tissue and hampered the construction of a knot. However, with the increase in scientific technology, it was soon learned that these sutures could be coated with a lubricant. Thus, ETHIBOND sutures gained wide acceptance in surgery. This coating markedly reduced the suture’s coefficient of friction, thereby assisting in knot construction and passage through tissue. All TiCron polyester sutures are coated with silicone, while the surface lubricant for Surgidac is Polybutylene adipate. Due to some surgeons liking to tie sutures with a high coefficient of friction, Surgidac sutures are also obtainable without a surface coating.

ETHIBOND Excel sutures are uniformly coated with polybutilate, a biologically non reactive and non absorbable compound that attaches itself to the braided polyester fiber strand. This was the first synthetic coating developed specifically as a surgical suture lubricant. The coating eases the passage of the braided strands through tissue and provides excellent pliability, handling qualities, and smooth tie down with each throw of the knot. Both the suture material and the coating are pharmacologically inactive. The sutures draw out negligible tissue reaction and retain their tensile strength in vivo for long periods of time. No significant change is known to occur in vivo. ETHIBOND Excel sutures are used primarily in cardiovascular surgery, for vessel anastomosis, and placement of prosthetic materials. Anastomosis is the joining together of two organs or vessels that are usually hollow, this is why any preferred brand of polyester suture will work beautifully in valve replacement procedures world wide.

ETHIBOND Excel is available in two forms, green when dyed and white when not dyed. ETHIBOND Excel sutures are also available attached to TFE polymer felt pledgets. These are small flat absorbent pads used to medicate, drain, save a wound from harm or serve to put off possible tearing of adjacent friable tissue. They are used on a regular basis in valve replacement procedures. This is to prevent the annulus from tearing when the prosthetic valve is seated and the sutures are tied. They are also used in situations where extreme deformity, distortion, or tissue destruction occurred.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Properties of PDS II Absorbable Ethicon Suture and some of Its Surgical Use

Absorbable sutures are used to give support to wound edges temporarily, until they have healed enough to endure the regular stresses of the external environment. These sutures are prepared either from the collagen of healthy mammals or from synthetic polymers. Synthetic absorbable sutures are hydrolyzed. This is a process by which water slowly and eventually goes through the suture filaments. This leads to the breakdown of the suture's polymer chain. Hydrolysis results in a smaller degree of tissue reaction following implantation in comparison to the enzymatic action of natural absorbable materials. One example of a synthetic absorbable suture is the PDS II monofilament suture made by Ethicon, and which is deemed to be a wonderful addition to the suture market.  

PDS II is a monofilament that has resulted in a significant advance in suturing options. A monofilament suture is made of a single strand. It stops microorganisms from growing and living in the wound area, and it ties down smoothly. A suture can lose tensile strength rapidly and yet be absorbed slowly. It can maintain adequate tensile strength through wound healing, followed by rapid absorption. In any case, the strand is eventually completely dissolved, leaving no detectable traces in tissue. PDS II sutures are made up of the polyester polydioxanone. There are many advantages of using the PDS II suture. It combines the features of soft, pliable, monofilament construction with absorbability and extended wound support for up to six weeks. It causes only a slight tissue reaction. This material is widely acceptable and preferred for many types of soft tissue approximation, including pediatric cardiovascular, orthopedic, microsurgery and neural tissue, gynecologic, ophthalmic, plastic, digestive, and colonic surgeries.

Like other synthetic absorbable suture, PDS II sutures are absorbed in vivo through hydrolysis. Its tensile strength remains around seventy percent two weeks after the implantation, fifty percent at four weeks after implantation, and twenty five percent at six weeks after implantation. Absorption is negligible until about the 90th day after the operation and is for all intents and purposes complete within six months. The safety and effectiveness of PDS II sutures in microsurgery, neural tissue, and adult cardiovascular tissue have not been established. They may also be impregnated or coated with agents that improve their handling properties, and colored with a dye to increase visibility in tissue. PDS II sutures are available in clear or with a violet dye to increase visibility during a surgery.

PDS Plus Suture has an antibacterial agent added to it. This gives an additional advantage over the regular PDS II. It is indicated for use in soft tissue approximation, including use in pediatric cardiovascular tissue where growth is expected to take place and ophthalmic surgery. However, contact with cornea and sclera is a noted exception. PDS Plus Suture is not indicated in adult cardiovascular tissue, microsurgery, and neural tissue. These sutures are chiefly useful where the combination of an absorbable suture and wound support is indicated for a long period of time.  Up to six weeks is more often than not desirable.

Monday, July 9, 2012

INTEGRA™ Bilayer Wound Matrix: One of the Best Wound Care Devices on the Market

INTEGRA™ Bilayer Wound Matrix is a state of the art wound care device. Bilayermeans being comprised of two layers. Its physical properties have made it one of the best wound dressings that are available in the market.

It is made up of a matrix of cross-linked bovine tendon collagen that is porous in nature, glycosaminoglycan and a polysiloxane layer. This is essentially a silicone layer which allows some substances to pass through but prevents others from doing so. It is a matrixthat provides a raised platform for cellular invasion and development of the capillaries. It also acts as a barrier to the entry of bacteria into the wound site.
The special characteristic of the bilayer silicon membrane is that is regulating the amount of water vapor that is lost from the wound. It also provides a flexible adherent covering to the surface of the wound and toughens up the device against wear and tear. The collagen-glycosaminoglycan can break down naturally without any special scientific treatment, and can therefore decay without causing any harm as the cells of the patient reconstruct the injured site. This can take about 14 to 21 days.

The wound is healed completely when the epidermal cells shift away from the edges of the wound. This can take up to 30 days, but it results in healing that has occurred wholly from the patients' own body tissue. For larger wounds, a piece of healthy skin of the patient's epidermis can be attached to the wound area to assist the wound dressing in closing the wound. This is known as skin grafting.

There are numerous benefits of the INTEGRA™ bilayermatrix wound dressings. Some of them include the provision of instant covering of the wound, and an elevated comfort level experience when using it on a variety of sites on the structure of the body. It has proved to work very well in deep donor sites as well, and exhibits extraordinary vigor and suppleness. It had a long shelf life you so don't have to worry about the device having passed the expiry date. In addition to such advantages, it provides excellent coverage over bone, tendon, cartilage and joints that are uncovered or open to the elements.

There was a study done in which in 166 instances, INTEGRA fruitfully closed about ninety percent of the exposed internal structures that are in general closed with flaps. In another quite different study, 107 patients were chosen that had 158 acknowledged individual users. INTEGRA was successful in healing up to ninety two percent of these patients in most cases with Integra alone.  Only in rare cases were small subsidiary flaps used alongside the bilayer wound matrix. Such high statistical figures prove that Integra is a much better wound dressing in comparison to others. Some people also call this process "skin replacement therapy".
INTEGRA™ Bilayer Wound Matrix is used for handling wounds with partial and full thickness, ulcers caused by diabetes and pressure, long term ulcers and ulcers found in the channels and veins of the body. It is also used for surgical wounds and trauma wounds that include areas of skin that have been scraped, deep cuts and tears in the skin, and burns of the second degree. The wound dressing, however, is not supposed to be used repeatedly.

If you are looking to buy DISCOUNTED BMW410 BILAYER MATRIX WOUND DRESSING sterile 5ea by Integra at Great Discounts! contact SOS Medical at 1800-3675735