Three methods of closing bronchial stumps were evaluated in 90 dogs undergoing left pneumonectomy:interrupted 3-0 silk sutures, interrupted 3-0 nylon sutures, and stapling with an automatic device. The dogs were sacrificed at 24 hours, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 days after pneumonectomy. Brochial stump leakage pressures and histological studies were performed on all specimens. Differences in the exudative reaction between silk and staple closures were significant on day 5(238.19+/- 23.28 SD PMN's/HPF in silk closures, 34.95+/- 20.37 SD PMN's/HPF in staple closures) and therafter(P less than 0.001). The reaction to nylon was intermediate between silk and staple. Collagen levels were highest at all periods for staple closures. Staple leakage pressures were greater than silk or nylon(day 5: 145.3 mm Hg +/- 64.9 SD in staple closures, 40.2 mm Hg +/- 15.4 SD in silk closures). These results have clinical relevance to the selection of suture materials for stump closures.
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