[DIN-oriented tensile strength evaluation of surgical tissue sutures]

Methods to determine the mechanical properties of surgical wounds and sutures are valuable tools in wound healing research. So far standardized testing procedures have not been defined in the surgical literature, which reduces the comparability of results from different authors. Therefore we suggest a modified tensile testing procedure which follows German industrial standards (DIN 53455). The experimental set-up includes an universal testing machine and special clamps. The dumbbell-shaped specimen consist of freshly prepared pig skin and the suture which is to be tested. Well-known mechanical properties of surgical sutures and wounds were used to approve the precision of the experimental set-up. Reproducible analysis of all tested sutures and wounds (n = 120) was possible. We recommend testing procedures adapted to industrial standards to obtain comparable results in determination of mechanical properties of surgical wounds and sutures.