Antimicrobial Sutures: New Strategy in Surgical Site Infections

This chapter reviews on a new strategy in surgical site infections and an update of antimicrobial sutures for wound closure following surgery with the evidence of clinical effectiveness, safety and guidelines for the use of antibacterial sutures for preventing surgical site infections that more number of publications has been published recently. Surgical site infections (SSIs) occur when pathogenic organisms proliferate in surgical wounds, result in impede wound healing, cause separation of the wound edges (dehiscence), and increase the risk of abscess in deeper wound tissues. Serious SSIs can progress from local to systemic infection, increase mortality risk associate with longer length of stay in the hospital, and cause a greater risk of readmission and higher healthcare costs. Sutures can be a source of surgical wound contamination due to bacterial adherence and colonization. Sutures impregnated or coated with antibacterial agents have been developed in an attempt to reduce bacterial adherence and colonization of suture materials. Vicryl Plus, a suture made from polyglactin 910 (an absorbable suture material) coated with the antiseptic agent triclosan, is an example of one such antimicrobial suture product.