[Absorbable suture material in the surgery of the biliary tract (author's transl)]

Conventional unabsorbable suture material can lead to gall salt precipitation and thus to gall stone formation. Catgut segments may cause identical sequelae if they are displaced into the lumen of the biliary tract under certain conditions. The reaction of polyglycolic acid (PGA) as well as of polyglactin material was tested under in-vitro conditions. PGA material disintegrated within 9 weeks; precipitation of gall salts was not observed. Polyglactin samples showed stable durability up to 22 weeks under the same conditions; firmly adherent small concrements could be demonstrated. In accordance with these observations, PGA material seems to be the most appropriate suture material for the surgery of the biliary tract at the time being.