Poly(L-lactide/glycolide) suture: the effect of acute radiation

The physical properties of Poly(L-lactide/glycolide) indicate that the suture retains approximately 80% of its original strength at 3 months and 60% of its original strength at 6 months. This new long-term synthetic absorbable suture offers postoperative fascial strength for an extended period when compared to other available absorbables. Importantly, many women with gynecologic cancer will undergo radiation therapy during this interval. This report is intended to evaluate the effects of ionizing radiation on this suture.

One lot (op strands) of size 1 PLG suture was used. Ten (10) strands were used for baseline study of out of package tensile strength. Eighty (80) strands were placed in a buffer solution (pH approximately 9.0) and incubated in an in vitro water bath approximately 48 h at 55 degrees C to simulate 4 weeks in vitro residence time. Following this in vitro hydrolysis 20 strands were tested. Sixty strands were placed beneath a piece of fresh full thickness porcine skin and subcutaneous tissue and exposed to 3, 30, and 70 Gy. All samples were evaluated for breaking strength and elongation-at-break using an Instron tensiometer.

Analysis of variance performed at the different exposure level revealed no significant effect on tensile properties (p>0.1).

The tensile properties of PLG suture are not adversely affected by ionizing radiation. This long-term absorbable suture is an alternative for fascial closure when extended periods of support are necessary in patients destined to receive therapeutic ionizing radiation.