Abstract
We report the findings of a prospective study into the bacterial contamination of monofilament nylon sutures removed from corneal wounds following cataract surgery. Sutures were classified as tight, loose or broken at the time of removal. Loose and broken sutures showed significantly more bacterial contamination than tight sutures (p<0.001, chi squared). Positive cultures were obtained from 2 (6.2%) of 32 tight sutures, 14 (38.9%) of 36 loose sutures and 11 (37.9%) of 29 broken sutures. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most commonly isolated organism (isolated in pure growth from 22 (81.5%) of 27 positive cultures). These findings may explain the occasional association of biodegraded corneal monofilament nylon sutures and suppurative keratitis and highlight the potential risk of seeding a suture track infection at the time of suture removal. They also emphasise the need for prophylactic topical antibiotic when removing biodegraded sutures.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Acheson JF, Lyons CJ . Ocular morbidity due to monofilament nylon corneal sutures. Eye 1991;5:106–12.
Hayasaka S, Ishiguro S, Shiono T, Okabe H, Mizuno K . Scanning electron microscopic study of nylon degradation by ocular tissue extracts. Am J Ophthalmol 1982;93:111–7.
Jackson H, Bosanquet R . Should nylon corneal sutures be routinely removed? Br J Ophthalmol 1991;75:663–4.
Heaven CJ, Boase DL . Suppurative keratitis with endophthalmitis due to biodegraded full thickness monofilament nylon corneal sutures. Eur J Implant Refract Surg 1993;5:164–8.
Raskin EM, Speaker MG, McCormick SA, Wong D, Menikoff JA, Pelton-Henrion K . Influence of haptic materials on the adherence of staphylococci to intraocular lenses. Arch Ophthalmol 1993;111:250–3.
Portoles M, Retojo MF, Leong FL . Reduced bacterial adhesion to heparin-surface-modified intraocular lenses. J Cataract Refract Surg (US) 1993;19:755–9.
Chang CC, Merritt K . Effect of Staphylococcus epidermidis on adherence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and gentamicin-containing PMMA. J Orthop Res 1991;9:284–8.
Tsai CL, Liu TK, Hung MH . Glycocalyx production and adherence of Staphylococcus to biomaterials. Acta Med Okayama 1992;464:11–6.
Muller E, Takeda S, Shiro H, Goldmann, D, Pier GB . Occurrence of capsular polysaccharide/adhesin among clinical isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci. J Infect Dis 1993;168:1211–8.
Chang CC, Merritt K . Microbial adherence on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) surfaces. J Biomed Mater Res 1992;26:197–207.
Bayston R, Rodgers J . Production of extra-cellular slime by Staphylococcus epidermidis during stationary phase of growth: its association with adherence to implantable devices. J Clin Pathol 1990;43:866–70.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Heaven, C., Davison, C. & Cockcroft, P. Bacterial contamination of nylon corneal sutures. Eye 9, 116–118 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1995.18
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1995.18
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Corneal cut closure using temperature-controlled CO2 laser soldering system
Lasers in Medical Science (2015)
-
Aspergillus terreus Infection in a Sutureless Self-sealing Incision Made During Cataract Surgery
Mycopathologia (2015)
-
Evidence-based practice in acute ophthalmology
Eye (2007)
-
Severe microbial keratitis in temperate and tropical Western Australia
Eye (1996)