Tungsten-rhenium suture needles with improved properties for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Tungsten-rhenium suture needles with improved properties for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Journal of biomedical materials research. Part B, Applied biomaterials (2010-06-25)

Frank R Cichocki, Robert E Maurer, S Neil Bar

PMID20574974

ABSTRACT

Suture needles are essential instruments for performing blood vessel anastomosis in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgeries. Exceptional needle performance is needed now as never before because of the increasing prevalence of elderly patients with advanced stages of coronary disease and calcified tissue. The various properties that affect the performance of suture needles used in CABG surgery are reviewed and recent progress towards improving needle performance through the use of tungsten-rhenium alloys and novel lubricous needle coatings is presented. Substantial enhancement of properties beyond those exhibited by commercially available stainless steel suture needles has been made, including an approximate 40% increase in strength, 100% increase in stiffness, and superior multiple pass penetration performance in both synthetic rubber media and human cadaver carotid arteries (p < 0.01).

MATERIALS

Product Number

Brand

Product Description

356972

Sigma-Aldrich

Tungsten, wire, diam. 0.5 mm, ≥99.9% trace metals basis

267554

Sigma-Aldrich

Tungsten, wire, diam. 0.25 mm, ≥99.9% trace metals basis

267562

Sigma-Aldrich

Tungsten, wire, diam. 1.0 mm, 99.99% trace metals basis

GF80179410

Tungsten, mesh, 50x50mm, nominal aperture 0.15mm, wire diameter 0.02mm, 150 wires/inch, open area 75%, plain weave mesh, 99.95%

GF69284010

Tungsten, insulated wire, 5m, conductor diameter 0.015mm, insulation thickness 0.002mm, polyimide insulation, 99.9%

GF96644841

Tungsten, insulated wire, 0.5m, conductor diameter 0.0125mm, insulation thickness 0.0035mm, polyimide insulation, 99.9%

357189

Sigma-Aldrich

Tungsten, foil, thickness 0.5 mm, ≥99.9% trace metals basis

GF88575777

Tungsten, foil, not light tested, 100x100mm, thickness 0.015mm, 99.95%

GF21242056

Tungsten, wire, straight, 500mm, diameter 0.5mm, 99.9+%

GF67945034

Tungsten, wire, straight, 300mm, diameter 0.38mm, 99.9+%

GF96146714

Tungsten, wire, straight, 500mm, diameter 1.0mm, 99.9+%

GF22711542

Tungsten, wire, straight, 300mm, diameter 0.25mm, 99.9+%

GF73409823

Tungsten, wire, straight, 500mm, diameter 0.38mm, 99.9+%

GF09098129

Tungsten, foil, 100x100mm, thickness 0.15mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF91269412

Tungsten, foil, 0.2m coil, thickness 0.025mm, coil width .7mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF17717968

Tungsten, foil, 0.2m coil, thickness 0.05mm, coil width 2mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF27210978

Tungsten, foil, 0.2m coil, thickness 0.02mm, coil width .5mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF91094430

Tungsten, foil, 0.2m coil, thickness 0.076mm, coil width 1.5mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF06006428

Tungsten, foil, 1m coil, thickness 0.05mm, coil width 1.5mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF49097672

Tungsten, foil, 1m coil, thickness 0.2mm, coil width .6mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF85409826

Tungsten, foil, 0.2m coil, thickness 0.2mm, coil width .6mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF38675627

Tungsten, foil, 0.2m coil, thickness 0.08mm, coil width .9mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF63218550

Tungsten, foil, 1m coil, thickness 0.05mm, coil width 2mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF81059744

Tungsten, foil, 0.5m coil, thickness 0.076mm, coil width 2mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF72872781

Tungsten, foil, 50x50mm, thickness 0.15mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF79293921

Tungsten, foil, 100x100mm, thickness 2.0mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF65283453

Tungsten, foil, 0.5m coil, thickness 0.05mm, coil width .51mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF40286291

Tungsten, foil, 0.2m coil, thickness 0.035mm, coil width .75mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF83775145

Tungsten, foil, 0.5m coil, thickness 0.016mm, coil width .36mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF02234359

Tungsten, foil, 50x50mm, thickness 2.0mm, as rolled, 99.95%