ArticleSurgical infections2010
Bacterial contamination of surgical suture resembles a biofilm.
Article in Surgical infections, 2010. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 34 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
34 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 87 citations in OpenAlex.
- Triclosan-Containing Sutures for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JAMA network open · 2025Pooled it
- Medical Fabrics with Non-Antibiotic, Supramolecular Antimicrobial Coatings: A Preventive Approach to Combat Biofilm Formation and Bacterial Dissemination.Advanced healthcare materials · 2026Article
- Metagenomic and Phenotypic Insights Into Biofilm-Forming Pathogens in Patients With Nosocomial Sepsis.BioMed research international · 2026Article
- A Comparative Study Between Continuous and Interrupted Suturing of Rectus Sheath Closure in Caesarean Section Patients at a Tertiary care Teaching Hospital.Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology of India · 2025Article
- Rare finding ofSkin health and disease · 2025Article
- Automated titanium fastener for surgical aortic valve replacement-preventive role for infective endocarditis?European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery · 2024Article
- Automated titanium fastener vs. hand-tied knots for prosthesis fixation in infective endocarditis.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2024Article
- No difference in bacterial contamination of hip capsule sutures and control sutures in hip arthroplasty surgery.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control · 2023Article
- Are Hamstring Grafts a Predisposing Factor to Infection in R-ACL Surgery? A Comparative In Vitro Study.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- NewMicrobiology spectrum · 2022Article
- The Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide Activity of Lysozyme Reduces ViableAntimicrobial agents and chemotherapy · 2022Article
- Surgical Applications of Materials Engineered with Antimicrobial Properties.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- Engineering surgical stitches to prevent bacterial infection.Scientific reports · 2022Article
- Evaluation of the effect of triclosan coated sutures in the prevention of surgical site infections in a Spanish hospital setting: A prospective, observational study.Infection prevention in practice · 2021Article
- Article
- The Role of Bacterial Colonization of the Suture Thread in Early Identification and Targeted Antibiotic Treatment of Surgical Site Infections: A Prospective Cohort Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
- Antibacterial activity of iron oxide, iron nitride, and tobramycin conjugated nanoparticles against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.Journal of nanobiotechnology · 2020Article
- Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of the Essential Oils ofFrontiers in microbiology · 2020Article
- Bacterial Adherence Around Sutures of Different Material at Grafted Site: A Microbiological Analysis.Materials (Basel, Switzerland) · 2019Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAlthough much attention is currently directed to studying microbial biofilms on a variety of surfaces, few studies are designed to study bacterial growth on surgical suture. The purpose of this study was to compare the kinetic development of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis on five surgical suture materials and to clarify factors that might influence this growth.
methodsPure cultures of S. aureus and E. faecalis were incubated with five types of suture for four days using either tissue culture medium or a bacterial growth medium. Suture-associated bacteria were quantified daily. In selected experiments, the bacterial growth medium was supplemented with heparin, a substance known to promote S. aureus biofilm formation. The ultrastructure of S. aureus biofilm developing on braided suture was studied with scanning electron microscopy.
resultsStaphylococcus aureus and E. faecalis were recovered in greater numbers (typically p < 0.01) from braided than from monofilament suture, and the numbers of bacteria were greater (often p < 0.01) on sutures incubated in bacterial growth medium rather than tissue culture medium. Addition of heparin 1,000 U/mL to silk or braided polyglactin 910 suture incubated three days with S. aureus resulted in greater numbers of bacteria on day one but not on subsequent days. Scanning electron microscopy showed a maturing S. aureus biofilm that developed from small clusters of cells among amorphous material and fibrillar elements to larger clusters of cells that appeared covered by more consolidated extracellular material.
conclusionsBacterial growth was favored on braided vs. monofilament suture, and heparin enhanced bacterial adherence after day one, but not at subsequent times. Staphylococcus aureus adhered to suture material and formed a structure consistent with a bacterial biofilm.
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Registered trials
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