What are Antibacterial Vicryl Sutures Made of and What are Their Absorbable Suture Properties

Synthetic absorbable sutures offer the strength needed for a wide range of applications, from abdominal and chest wound closure to ophthalmic and plastic surgery. Once such example is the Antibacterial Vicryl Suture, which is a synthetic, absorbable, sterile, surgical suture. It is a copolymer made from ninety percent glycolide and ten percent L-lactide. Coated Vicryl Plus Antibacterial Suture is coated with a mixture composed of equal parts of a copolymer of glycolide and lactide (polyglactin 370) and calcium stearate. Coated Vicryl Plus Antibacterial suture contains IRGACARE MP, which is one of the purest forms of the broad spectrum antibacterial agent triclosan.

Coated Vicryl Plus Antibacterial suture offers protection against bacterial colonization of the suture. In vivo studies demonstrate that Coated Vicryl Plus Antibacterial suture has a zone of inhibition that is effective against the disease causing organisms that most often cause surgical site infection  Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, methicillin resistant staphylococcus epidermidis. In vivo studies demonstrate that Vicryl Plus Antibacterial suture has no adverse effect on normal wound healing. Coated Vicryl Plus Antibacterial suture performs and handles the same and has the same dependable construction as Coated Vicryl suture. In vivo testing by surgeons demonstrates the same excellence in performance and handling.

The suture is available in the market in two forms: When it is not dyed (naturally in a beige hue) and when it is dyed. The dyed form comes in violet color. Coated Vicryl  Plus suture is indicated for use in general soft tissue approximation and or ligation requiring medium support, except for ophthalmic, cardiovascular and neurological tissues. Frequent uses include general closure, bowel, orthopedic, and plastic surgery. Coated Vicryl Plus Antibacterial suture retains approximately seventy five percent of the original tensile strength at two weeks post implantation. At three weeks, approximately fifty percent of the original strength is retained. At four weeks, approximately twenty five percent of the original strength is retained. All of the original tensile strength is lost by five weeks post implantation. Absorption of Coated Vicryl Plus Antibacterial Suture is fundamentally complete between fifty six and seventy days.

Some of the major factors which can affect tensile strength loss and absorption rates are the type of suture, infection, and tissue sites. Plain gut generally absorbs more rapidly than chromic gut. Surgical gut is absorbed more rapidly in infected tissue than in non infected tissue. Surgical gut will absorb more rapidly in tissues where increased levels of enzymes are present, as in the secretions exhibited in the stomach, cervix and vagina. Physicians should consider the in vivo performance when selecting a suture for use in patients. . As with any foreign body, prolonged contact of any suture with salt solutions, such as those found in the urinary tracts may result in calculus formation.

Antibacterial Vicryl suture is only being made by Ethicon Inc. at this time. All Ethicon product codes related to Antibacterial  Vicryls begin with the prefix VCP.