Mechanical evaluation of the influence of different suture methods on temporal skin healing

BACKGROUND The progress of wound healing is mainly investigated using histological analyses. The study of mechanical recovery of healing wound is lacking. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the temporal mechanical strength of healing skin after the use of different suture methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS The dorsum of each of 36 Sprague-Dawley rats was divided into four regions, and 2-cm-long cuts were randomly made in three regions and closed using three suture methods. The size of all suture material was 4/0. The suture methods included full-thickness skin sutures with nylon (N group), degradable polyglactin 910 sutures in the dermis (V group), and nylon sutures in the epidermis with polyglactin sutures in the hypodermis (NV group). After 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks, the sutured sites were harvested for tensile testing and recovery index. RESULTS The V and NV groups had greater recovery indices than did the N group after 2 weeks, but the V and N groups reached almost full recovery and had greater recovery than the NV group 6 weeks after wounding. Recovery strengths increased rapidly between 4 and 6 weeks in the V and N groups. CONCLUSION These results are helpful for suture method selection and management of wound healing. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.