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

267279

Sigma-Aldrich

Rhenium, powder, −100 mesh, ≥99.9% trace metals basis

267317

Sigma-Aldrich

Rhenium, foil, thickness 0.25 mm, 99.98% trace metals basis

267511

Sigma-Aldrich

Tungsten, powder, 12 μm, 99.9% trace metals basis

204188

Sigma-Aldrich

Rhenium, powder, 99.995% trace metals basis

267546

Sigma-Aldrich

Tungsten, foil, thickness 0.25 mm, ≥99.9% trace metals basis

GF74651698

Tungsten, foil, 100x100mm, thickness 0.5mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF87782732

Tungsten, foil, 200x200mm, thickness 0.15mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF17950372

Tungsten, foil, 200x200mm, thickness 0.3mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF07491876

Tungsten, foil, 0.2m coil, thickness 0.04mm, coil width 0.7mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF32151541

Tungsten, foil, 0.5m coil, thickness 0.1mm, coil width .6mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF18352425

Tungsten, foil, 0.2m coil, thickness 0.1mm, coil width 1.5mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF42014078

Tungsten, foil, 2m coil, thickness 0.6mm, coil width 1mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF48489519

Tungsten, wire, straight, 25.4mm, diameter 0.5mm, 99.9+%

GF85971268

Tungsten, foil, 50x50mm, thickness 0.2mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF53796459

Tungsten, foil, 100x100mm, thickness 0.125mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF37965943

Tungsten, foil, 50x50mm, thickness 0.3mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF13027384

Tungsten, foil, 150x150mm, thickness 1.0mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF31626716

Tungsten, foil, 0.2m coil, thickness 0.035mm, coil width .5mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF67192544

Tungsten, foil, 0.2m coil, thickness 0.02mm, coil width .1mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF31462163

Tungsten, foil, 150x150mm, thickness 0.5mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF06473033

Tungsten, foil, 0.2m coil, thickness 0.05mm, coil width 1.5mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF74075452

Tungsten, foil, 100x100mm, thickness 0.1mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF37265429

Tungsten, foil, 150x150mm, thickness 0.15mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF70064658

Rhenium, wire reel, 0.2m, diameter 0.178mm, annealed, 99.97%

GF24769806

Tungsten, foil, light tested, 50x50mm, thickness 0.05mm, as rolled, 99.95%

GF94362521

Tungsten, rod, 8.25mm, diameter 9.5mm, centerless ground, 99.95%

GF25095854

Tungsten, rod, 200mm, diameter 5.0mm, centerless ground, 99.95%

GF58081945

Rhenium, wire reel, 0.5m, diameter 0.178mm, annealed, 99.97%

GF57863931

Rhenium, wire reel, 0.1m, diameter 0.25mm, annealed, 99.97%

GF27394702

Tungsten, mesh, 100x100mm, nominal aperture 0.2mm, wire diameter 0.05mm, 100 wires/inch, open area 64%, plain weave mesh, 99.95%