Cattle Breeds & Reason for Keeping LIvestock

What are the three main surgical instruments used in suturing?

Needle holders, forceps and scissors.

What are needle holders used for?

Holding and driving the surgical needle through tissue.

What are three common types of needle holders?

Mayo, Olsen-Hegar and Gillies.

What are forceps used for during suturing?

Grasping, holding and manipulating tissues.

What are the two main types of tissue forceps?

Tissue/serrated forceps and rat-tooth forceps.

What is the purpose of rat-tooth forceps?

Teeth provide a secure grip on tissue.

What are surgical scissors used for?

Cutting sutures and tissues.

Which scissors are commonly used in suturing?

Mayo scissors.

What is an eyelet needle?

A reusable needle with an eye through which suture material is threaded.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of eyelet needles?

Cheaper and reusable, but can become blunt and create larger tissue holes.

What is a swaged-on needle?

A single-use needle with suture material directly attached.

What are the advantages of swaged-on needles?

Sharper, pre-sterilised and create smaller holes with less tissue trauma.

What are the disadvantages of swaged-on needles?

More expensive and designed for single use.

What is the difference between straight and curved needles?

Straight needles are typically used by hand; curved needles are used with instruments.

What are the common needle curvatures?

Straight, half-curved, 3/8 circle and 1/2 circle.

What is a tapercut needle used for?

Gut and bladder; sharp point creates a small hole.

What is a reverse-cutting needle used for?

Skin and fascia; strong needle designed to resist tissue cutting through.

What is a round-bodied needle used for?

Soft tissues such as fat; relatively blunt and spreads tissue fibres.

What are the ideal properties of suture material?

Strong, predictable strength retention, easy handling, low memory, sterile, non-reactive, uniform and affordable.

What is suture tensile strength?

The ability of suture material to withstand pulling forces before breaking.

What is suture memory?

The tendency of suture material to return to its original coiled shape.

Why is low suture memory desirable?

It makes sutures easier to handle and tie securely.

What is a monofilament suture?

A suture made from one continuous strand.

What are the advantages of monofilament sutures?

Less tissue drag and reduced bacterial harbouring.

What is a multifilament suture?

A suture made from multiple twisted or braided strands.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of multifilament sutures?

Easier handling and better knot security, but greater tissue drag and bacterial wicking.

What is capillary action in multifilament sutures?

The wicking of fluid and bacteria between suture fibres.

What is an absorbable suture?

A suture that temporarily supports healing tissue before being broken down and absorbed.

What is a non-absorbable suture?

A suture that retains its strength and does not dissolve in tissue.

When are non-absorbable sutures used?

For long-term support or when sutures will be removed after healing.

What are examples of non-absorbable sutures?

Nylon (Ethilon) and polypropylene (Prolene).

What is a short-duration absorbable suture?

An absorbable suture retaining appreciable strength for less than 21 days.

What is a long-duration absorbable suture?

An absorbable suture retaining appreciable strength for 21 days or longer.

What is Polyglactin 910 (Vicryl)?

A synthetic braided multifilament absorbable suture with excellent handling.

How much tensile strength does Vicryl retain at 21 days?

Approximately 50%.

What are common uses of Vicryl?

General soft-tissue surgery.

What is Poliglecaprone 25 (Monocryl)?

A synthetic monofilament absorbable suture that loses strength rapidly.

How much tensile strength does Monocryl retain at 7 days?

Approximately 50%.

What are common uses of Monocryl?

Subcutaneous tissue, intradermal skin closure, bladder and intestinal enterotomies.

What is Polydioxanone (PDS)?

A synthetic monofilament absorbable suture providing long-term support.

How much tensile strength does PDS retain at 5-6 weeks?

Approximately 50%.

What are the disadvantages of PDS?

High memory, stiffness, difficult handling and lower inherent knot security.

What are common uses of PDS?

Linea alba, muscle layers and intestines where prolonged support is needed.

What is catgut made from?

Natural material derived from sheep or cattle intestinal tissues.

What is chromic catgut?

Catgut treated with chromium salts to alter absorption.

Why is catgut generally avoided?

It causes intense inflammation and has unpredictable absorption.

According to the lecture, what is the recommended use of catgut?

Vascular ligatures only; avoid other uses.

How are natural absorbable sutures broken down?

Cellular phagocytosis and enzymatic proteolysis.

What are the disadvantages of natural suture materials?

Unpredictable absorption and greater inflammatory reactions.

How are synthetic absorbable sutures broken down?

Hydrolysis, producing more predictable absorption and less inflammation.

Why are knots the weakest part of a suture construct?

They concentrate stress and can fail, causing complications such as haemorrhage or wound dehiscence.

How does suture diameter affect knot security?

Finer-diameter sutures generally provide better knot security.

Why do monofilament sutures require extra throws?

Low friction and high memory increase the risk of knot slippage.

What is a throw in surgical knot tying?

A basic knot component formed by crossing the suture ends.

What are turns in surgical knot tying?

The number of twists made within an individual throw.

What is a single-turn throw?

A throw involving one twist; the basis of standard ties.

What is a surgeon's throw?

A double-turn first throw that increases friction and prevents initial slippage.

What is a surgeon's knot?

An initial double throw followed by an opposing single locking throw.

What is a square knot (reef knot)?

A single throw followed by an opposing single throw.

What is a granny knot?

An insecure, asymmetrical knot formed by failing to alternate throw directions.

Why is a granny knot dangerous?

It can easily loosen or unravel.

What are the three fundamental surgical knot-tying rules?

Keep needle holders centred in the knot, swap hand positions each throw and apply even tension to both ends.

What can happen if a surgical knot fails?

Haemorrhage, wound dehiscence or other serious complications.