3
Advanced suture options
Suture options for repairing tissues are also improving and offer-
ing more choices for surgical scenarios. Some sutures change
mechanical properties when exposed to fluid, which allows them to
swell causing greater fixation contact and strength. Similarly, some
sutures are changing from a simple round piece of material-like
thread, to a broader (think broad tape) design, which lends itself to a
bigger footprint and better force distribution when repairing tissues.
One of the elements I appreciate the most about these broader
suture options is that they do not create the friction burns or skin
damage to the surgeons' hands when tying the fine, thin, round suture
types. Think about alcohol sterilizing your hands with multiple small
paper cuts and you'll appreciate the broader suture design as well!
4
Streamlined
scopes
When it comes to
the devices that let
physicians do these
minimally invasive
procedures, there's
a lot to be excited
about at this time.
Angle-guided
instruments for
arthroscopy, particularly in hip scopes, have made procedures more
accessible. With this type of instrument, more (angles) truly is less
(incisions). Because the flexible nature of the instruments lets a physi-
cian get more angles through a single incision, the total number of
incisions on the patient can be reduced. In the example of hip arthro-
9 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9
• PUSH AND PULL Today's "smart" pumps regulate flow and prevent excess fluid from
getting into the surrounding tissues.
Eckhold
Biomedical
Illustration
