The Resistance of Polyglycolic Acid Sutures to Attack by Infected Human Urine

Polyglycolic acid sutures were incubated at 37 degrees C in broth, and in 0.22 mu millipore filtered human urine infected with Escherichia coli, Str. faecalis, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. At 3 days the Proteus had destroyed the polyglycolic acid sutures in the urine but not in the broth. None of the other organisms had any effect on the tensile strength of the suture material. Under the scanning electron microscope the Proteus-destroyed polyglycolic acid sutures showed multiple transverse microfractures. Polyglycolic acid sutures should not be used for closing urothelium in patients with a proven Proteus infection.