Evaluation of a knotless barbed suture for canine total lung lobectomy: An ex vivo study.

OBJECTIVE

To compare leakage pressure and ligation time of bronchial sealing using barbed sutures, stapling devices, or traditional sutures during total lung lobectomy in dogs.

STUDY

DESIGN

Experimental ex vivo study with randomized order of procedures.

SAMPLE POPULATION: A total of 30 lung lobes from five canine cadavers weighing 10-13 kg.

METHODS

The lobe samples were randomly allocated to the stapling device (ST), traditional suture ligation (TR), or barbed suture ligation (BA) group (n = 10 each). Bronchial ligation time was recorded for each procedure. Each bronchial stump was tested for air leakage for pressures up to 80 cmH2O.

RESULTS

The median air leakage pressure was 45.0 cmH2O (range: 30.0-80.0) for the ST, 47.5 cmH2O (range: 36.0-80.0) for the TR, and 57.5 cmH2O (range: 25.0-80.0) for the BA (p = .36). No group showed leakage at physiological airway pressures (< 20 cmH2O). At pressures up to 80 cmH2O, leakage was observed in nine of 10 bronchial stumps in the ST, eight of 10 in the TR, and six of 10 in the BA (p = .43). The mean bronchial ligation time was 2.4 ± 0.5 min for the ST, 14.1 ± 3.4 min for the TR and 10.7 ± 1.6 min for the BA (p < .01).

CONCLUSION

Barbed sutures for bronchial closure provided comparable leakage pressure to stapling devices and traditional sutures and reduced suturing time compared to traditional sutures.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Barbed suture ligation might be a viable alternative for canine total lung lobectomy.