Development of independent vessel security after ligation with absorbable sutures or clips

The external jugular vein and the contralateral carotid artery in each of 59 rabbits were ligated with either sutures or absorbable clips and then divided. After 0, 1, 2, 4, 7, or 14 days following ligation, the suture or clip was removed, and the vessel's resistance to leakage was quantitated. When the absorbable clips were removed from arteries after 1 day, their mean resistance pressure prior to leakage was 171 +/- 46 mm Hg; in contrast, arteries ligated with a suture did not achieve independent security until after 4 days. At 4 days, the mean pressure prior to leakage of arteries with the suture removed was only 88 +/- 49 mm Hg. Similar results were obtained with veins. The difference in vessel security was attributed to the significant increase in the width of the vessel wall compressed when an absorbable clip was utilized compared with a strand of suture.