This is obtained from ox fascia and is designed for use as a heavy suture or repair in hernia or similar cases. It is usually attached firmly to a strong structure by means of a nonabsorbable suture. It is supplied in the form of sterile strips approximately half an inch wide and eight inches long.
This is a thin sheet of pliable tissue obtained from the appendix of the steer or ox. It is designed primarily to cover the surfaces from which the peritoneum has been removed. The membranes are available in sterile sheets of approximately 4 × 6 inches and sometimes used as a packing or protective sheath.
Learning Objective The properties of tensile strength and absorbability can be incorporated into synthetic fibers such as polymers. Synthetic absorbable sutures do not undergo the enzymically mediated absorption process. Rather, the suture is broken down completely by simple hydrolysis. Tissue reaction is minimal since leukocytes are not involved in the absorption process.
Learning Objective Boilable surgical catgut is packed in glass tubes with the strands immersed in a water-free high boiling tubing fluid, usually xylene. The exterior of the tubes can be sterilized at the hospital by autoclaving. The disadvantage of the boilable variety is that the absence of moisture inside the tubes makes the strands very stiff.…
Learning Objective Sheep intestine may be normally infected with pathogenic spore-forming bacteria responsible for tetanus and gas gangrene. Hence, sterilization process is very essential and it should be thorough. The final sterilized gut should be checked by sterility testing. The processed catgut can be sterilized by either of the following methods: Heat process: Chemically, the gut…
After twisting, the strand is dried under tension and is then sandpapered to remove the rough surface and rubbed down with emery paper. The dust is removed by washing with water, after which it is dried, gauged and made up into rolls.
On account of the adhesive quality of the prepared gut, it can be twisted into an almost homogeneous strand. The strips are placed in the twisting machine. The number of strips being twisted together varies according to the size of the strand to be produced. The twisting machine consists of a stationary hook to which…
The ribbon may be tanned or hardened by soaking in solutions of chromic salts. Greater the concentration of chromium salt, slower will be the digestion of the gut in the body. Thus, tanning causes a delay in the absorption of the gut in the body. Terms such as plain, chromic and extra chromic are used…
The commercial catgut suture material is obtained from the small intestine of sheep. The intestines of freshly killed sheep are cleaned of their contents and are placed in cold storage or packaged in brine for transportation. The first 75 meters of the gut is chosen for the preparation of surgical catgut. The intestines are inspected…
Learning Objective Catgut The word catgut is derived from the German word kitgut. “Kit” was an old German musical instrument on which gut was used as strings, hence came the word kitgut. This word gradually changed by use, language and age, and its spelling eventually changed to catgut.