Microsurgery: Transplantation and Replantation by Harry J. Buncke, MD, et al.
  Table of Contents / Epilogue
 
  * Reproduced with permission of the British Journal of Plastic Surgery, Vol. 19, pp. 15-22, 1966. Published by Churchill Livingstone Medical Journals, Edinburgh, Scotland.

with pulsation changes in the vascular tree. This in our opinion can best be achieved with a suture repair utilising materials and equipment scaled down to the minute size and texture of the vessels involved. The term " microminiature " has been borrowed from the electronic field to describe repairs on vessels of 0-040 in. (I mm.) and smaller.

Instrumentation.-Over the past several years we have tested a wide variety of materials in an attempt to find a suture material that is small, strong, and flexible (see table).

Breaking Strength in Grams

 
SutureSizeBreaking
Strength
(Average 20
tryouts)
Grams
InchesMicrons
Tungsten0.00125.050+
Nylon 0.001+ 25.0 50+
Stainless steel 0.001 25.0 38
Platinum 0.001 25.0 28
Stainless steel 0.0005 12.5 15
Nylon 0.0005 12.5 13
Silk 0.00075 19.0 12
Gold 0.001 25.0 11
Dacron 0.00025 6.5 10
Tungsten 0.000236 6.0 9

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