The purpose of this experimental study was to select the nonabsorbable suture material with the lowest foreign body reaction in the extraoral field. The nonabsorbable sutures tested were nylon, white silk, and black silk. Eighteen New Zealand
white
rabbits were the animal model for testing purposes. After shaving the fur, a five centimeter skin incision was made in the back of all eighteen animals. Each wound was then closed iin the same manner. Three rabbits were then sacrified on
postoperative
day one, three, seven, fourteen, twenty-one, and twenty-eight. @ES The surgical sites were then examined histologically.
@EN 1. On the 3rd day, a moderate infiltration of inflammatory cells was found in black and white silk groups. Milder inflammation was noted in the nylon group.
2. On the 7th day, moderate inflammation was found in the black and white silk groups. Mild inflammation was noted in the nylon group.
3. On the 14th, 21st, and 28th days, all sutures showed similar degrees of inflammation. The nylon showed slightly less overall inflammation than the silk groups but it was not considered significant.
4. The silk groups showed better flexibility and knot stability than the nylon. However, nylon was a better material at up to post-op 7 days than black and white silk in that it caused less tissue reaction and scar formation.
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