GROWTH OF TRACHEAL SUTURES WITH ABSORBABLE SUTURES IN PRIMATES

Postoperative wound healing is studied after tracheal suturing in 5 pr imates operated on in two stages. First by double level hemisection co mparing continuous and interrupted sutures with polydioxanone. In a se cound stage:comparison of continuous sutures after tracheal segmental resection. The tracheas were harvested sequentially to study the evolu tion of the sutured zone by measuring its diameter and by histopatholo gic examination. The reduction of the tracheal diameter observed was n ot statistically significant after hemisection using continuous (p = 0 .7) or interrupted sutures (p = 0.6). But after tracheal resection the stenosis was significant with continuous sutures (p < 0.05). Histolog ic study revealed that polydioxanone is well tolerated and is absorbed within 26 weeks. The authors recommend the use of continuous sutures to repair simple wounds and of interrupted sutures after tracheal rese ction anastomosis.