CHARACTERIZATION OF SURGICAL THREADS HANDLING PROPERTIES

Abstract

The quality problem of surgical threads is discussed with account of their handling properties. With this aim, the mechanical characteristics of surgical threads based on natural (silk) and synthetic (polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate) fibres have been studied prior and after modification by inert in biological respect polymer coatings. The practical recommendations to estimation and controlling of handling properties of surgical threads have been proposed. The generalized deformational criteria have been proposed concerning bending stiffness, the force needed to form a node and relaxation rate of the deformed thread after unloading. These characteristics are the functions of elasticity modulus, viscosity, plasticity, hardness and friction coefficient of thread’s material, which may be measured by the standard mechanical tests. It’s shown that along with improved compatibility with biotissues soft coatings made of bioinert low-modular polymers are also capable of optimising handling parameters of threads.