Sutures and Wound Repair/ General Surgery (ABSA) Practice Test

In the presence of infection, what happens to the absorption rate of surgical gut?

1. Decreased

2. Unchanged

3. Increased

4. Varied among patients

The correct answer is: Increased

In the context of surgical gut sutures and the presence of infection, the absorption rate is indeed increased. This is primarily due to the inflammatory process that occurs during an infection, which accelerates the breakdown and absorption of absorbable sutures like surgical gut. Surgical gut sutures are made from collagen derived from the intestines of sheep or cattle and undergo hydrolysis, a process where water molecules break down the suture material. When an infection is present, the body increases vascularity and the activity of inflammatory cells in the area, further enhancing the hydrolytic breakdown of the suture. As a result, the degradation is faster, leading to a quicker absorption of the gut suture material. Understanding this mechanism is crucial for surgical practice, as it implies that the timeframe for suture retention will be shorter when infection is present, necessitating careful monitoring of the wound healing process and potentially adjusting suture techniques based on the conditions of the tissue.