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Bacterial adhesion to suture material in a contaminated wound model: Comparison of monofilament, braided, and barbed

Jonas Dhom1, Dominik A Bloes2,3, Andreas Peschel2,3

  • 1Medical Faculty of the University of Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.

Journal of Orthopaedic Research : Official Publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society
|May 22, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Barbed sutures (Quill) showed comparable microbiological performance to monofilament sutures (Ethilon II) but had larger bacterial halos than monofilaments after antibiotic treatment. Barbed sutures are suitable for aseptic surgery but require caution in septic procedures.

Area of Science:

  • Surgical Infection Prevention
  • Biomaterials Science
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Surgical site infections (SSIs) are often linked to contaminated sutures.
  • Barbed sutures offer potential advantages in wound closure speed and tension reduction.
  • The microbiological impact of barbed sutures requires thorough investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the microbiological characteristics of barbed sutures (Quill) compared to monofilament (Ethilon II) and braided (Vicryl, Vicryl Plus) sutures.
  • To assess bacterial growth and antibiotic efficacy on different suture materials.
  • To analyze bacterial colonization patterns on barbed and conventional sutures.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro cultivation of sutures with common bacterial pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa).
  • Measurement of bacterial halo zones on agar plates.
  • Confocal microscopy to visualize bacterial colonization.
  • Assessment of bacterial growth after prolonged cultivation and antibiotic treatment.

Main Results:

  • Ethilon II and Quill sutures demonstrated comparable initial results.
  • Vicryl sutures exhibited large bacterial halos, indicating significant bacterial growth.
  • Quill sutures showed significantly smaller halos than Vicryl after antibiotic treatment for Staphylococcus aureus.
  • Bacterial colonization was observed between braided filaments (Vicryl) and beneath barbs (Quill).

Conclusions:

  • Barbed sutures (Quill) present a viable microbiological profile for aseptic surgical environments.
  • Caution is advised when using barbed sutures in procedures with a high risk of contamination (septic surgery).
  • Further research into suture-associated infection pathways is warranted.
Keywords:
barbed suturebiofilmsurgical site infectionsuturewound closure

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