The effect of a hydrogen peroxide wound care regimen on tensile strength of suture

Objective: To compare the tensile strength of nylon, polypropylene, and fast-absorbing gut sutures treated with either 3% hydrogen peroxide or water for a period of 5 days to emulate a wound care regimen. Methods: An In-Spec 2200 bench-top tester was used to find the maximum lead that a particular suture could sustain prior to breaking. Results: Analysis of the data showed a statistically significant decrease in tensile strength of fast-absorbing gut Conclusion: Though no in vivo studies were performed, a logical extension of these results would be that premature degradation of fast-absorbing gut sutures secondary to use of hydrogen peroxide might lead to widened and/or hypertrophic scars. sutures treated with hydrogen peroxide compared with fast-absorbing gut suture control samples and fast-absorbing gut sutures treated with only water.