Healing
Tissue healing (of a surgical or traumatic wound) is a natural phenomenon involving processes of repair and regeneration.
The quality of the healing and the length of time involved depend on numerous factors, both local and general (aetiology, site, type of tissue, patient‘s general state of health, infection, etc.).
The role of a suture is to assist healing by supporting the tissues throughout the critical stage.
That is why it is important to know how long the different body tissues take to heal. This crucial information should be contrasted with the suture absorption time so that, by matching the two, the appropriate suture can be chosen, ensuring optimal conditions for successful healing.
| Tissue | Healing Time |
| Skin | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Subcutaneous tissue | 2 weeks |
| Peritoneum | 4 to 10 days |
| Abdominal fascia | 5 to 6 weeks – regains 75% of initial strength in 9 months |
| Digestive tract | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Uterus | 8 days |
| Vagina / perineum | 8 to 10 days |
| Bladder | 5 days – regains 75 to 90% of initial strength in 2 weeks |
| Ureter | 7 days |
| Joint capsule | 5 to 6 weeks |
| Ligaments / tendons | 6 weeks – regains 50 to 70% of initial strength after 1 year |
B. Braun sutures offer a variety of resorption profiles, providing made-to-measure, indication-specific.
In addition, we know that after incision and suturing the length of time necessary for tissues to regain their initial tensile strength varies a great deal depending on the type of tissue involved.
The tensile strength of healing tissue is always weaker than the initial strength of the injured tissue.
This parameter too is a determining factor when it comes to choosing a suture material.
For example, fascia takes several months to heal. In fact, this poorly vascularised tissue, which is subject to variations in pressure, heals slowly, yet secure closure of the abdominal cavity [7] depends precisely on the fascia, although the latter will only regain 70% of its initial strength after laparotomy. [9]
This particular situation requests a customised suture material.
B. Braun offers surgeons an innovative thread for abdominal wall closure: Monomax®. This thread has unique properties that meet the specific requirements of laparotomy surgery.
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is the mechanism of resorption see Resorption >> of absorbable synthetic sutures, and leads to the gradual disappearance of the thread. This breakdown is more regular and more predictable than enzymatic reactions (as in the case of catgut), which partly explains the increase in use of absorbable synthetic sutures.
[7] Olivieri M, Bonneau NH.; Choix d’un matériel de suture ; Can Vet J 1985, 26 : 9-12.
[9] Rath AM, Chevrel JP; The healing of laparotomies: a review of the literature. Part 1; Physiologic and pathologic aspects. et. Hernia 1998, 2: 145 -149.