J&J‘s DePuy Synthes division is releasing a new orthopedic suture that automatically tightens when compression is lost. The DYNACORD suture, due to its multi-part construction, shortens if it’s not feeling a pull, which can help to guarantee the integrity of a wide variety of soft tissue procedures. The primary focus of use of this device is in the rotator cuff repair procedures of the shoulder.
Having a tight suture prevents small movements from grinding the suture material into the tissue, which can lead to injury and loosening of the contact. The suture is designed not to over-tighten and is made of material that prevents abrasions.
Here’s how the device works, according to DePuy:
- DYNACORD Suture consists of two outer sheaths of braided fibers and a core made of silicone and salt. This internal salt-filled core helps DYNACORD Suture maintain a stable repair environment.
- When DYNACORD Suture is placed in the body during surgery, the salt particles within the silicone core dissolve, leaving behind a porous structure within the silicone core.
- These small voids are filled with surrounding fluid as the core hydrates, which causes the braided sheath to expand outward, and the suture to shorten in length. This happens if the repair loses tension, to help the suture maintain the stable repair environment throughout the healing process.
Here’s a short time-lapse video demonstrating the automatic tightening of the DYNACORD suture:
Product page: DYNACORD Suture…
Via: Johnson & Johnson…