Outcomes of irradiated polyglactin 910 Vicryl Rapide fast-absorbing suture in oral and scalp wounds.

BACKGROUND This study evaluated the outcome of wounds closed with irradiated polyglactin 910 (IRPG) Vicryl Rapide (Ethicon, Somerville, N.J.). METHOD Seventy-one patients with 80 oral wounds and 42 patients with 42 scalp wounds closed with IRPG were evaluated on the day of surgery, then one, seven, 14, 28 and 90 days following surgery. The incidence of inflammation, suppuration and hypertrophic scarring was recorded, along with the timing of spontaneous suture disappearance. This suture material was compared with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sutures used in dental implant patients, traditional polyglycolic acid (PGLA) sutures used in osteotomy patients and skin staples used in patients with scalp wounds. RESULTS In the group with intraoral wounds, there were two cases of suppuration with no inflammatory reactions or hypertrophic scarring when IRPG sutures were used, compared to three cases of suppuration with the traditional PGLA sutures. In the group with scalp wounds, there was no suppuration or hypertrophic scarring with IRPG sutures and one inflammatory reaction with skin staples. IRPG sutures never required removal, while all staples, PGLA and PTFE sutures eventually required separate removal. CONCLUSION Irradiated polyglactin 910 Vicryl Rapide is a useful suture material with both intra- and extraoral applications in the pediatric and adult populations.