Investigation of leakage holes created by four needle types used for closure of canine enterotomies

• Main Authors: Konstantinos Mitsou, Lysimachos G. Papazoglou, Ioannis Savvas, Emmanouil Tzimtzimis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tripoli University 2018-11-01
• Series: Open Veterinary Journal
• Subjects: Dog; Enterotomy; Leakage; Needle holes; Surgical needles
• Online Access: https://www.openveterinaryjournal.com/OVJ-2018-03-079%20K.%20Mitsou%20et%20al.pdf

The creation of leakage holes in the intestinal wall by four types of swaged-on needles used to close enterotomy incisions in canine cadavers was studied. Twenty-four enterotomies were performed in 10 cm jejunal sections obtained from five dogs following euthanasia. After placement of Doyen intestinal forceps to the ends of each section, a 3 cm antimesenteric incision was performed and closed using 4-0 polydioxanone suture armed in a swaged-on needle in a simple interrupted pattern. One group served as control, with no enterotomies performed. The four groups that we used consisted of six sections each: group CC was closed with a polydioxanone suture armed in a conventional cutting needle, group RC was closed with a reversed cutting needle, group TPP was closed with a taper point plus needle, and group TC was closed with a taper cutting needle. Leak testing was performed by infusion of 13.5 mL methylene blue solution into the intestinal lumen. Significant differences between leakage and non-leakage sections of group CC were detected (P=.027). No statistical differences were detected among other groups. Conventional cutting needles seem to create leaking holes in cadaveric healthy jejunum during needle passage for closing an enterotomy incision.