Why don't we use absorbable sutures in Koi?

[Brockp]

The data from the makers mainly Ethicon shows that most absorbable sutures maintain their tensile strength for 5 – 10 days depending on the size.

As the load we place on our fish stitches are minute compared with what we expect sutures to stand up to in man why don’t we use them ? or perhaps you all do and I am bring thick.

Reason I asked is I have just finished chasing my Koi with a damaged pectoral fin around the pond again to have the last stitch out…….much less stressful for him and me to just let it dissolve.

Any opinions? If you already all do just tell me and crawl back into my hole.

Peter

[Duncan]

peter

i use what ever i can get my hands on mate the last time i had a load sent from the USA im still working with these,

its a case of any port in a storm

i would love to try some, i see no reason why they should not work especially as koi heal fast

i know you have some things to say about drugs and stuff like this, but with Koi these are not readily availabloe to the hobbyist so we have to utilise what is available and when its available unlike licenced vets and doctors, we dont have to luxury of being able to pick and choose

dunc

[Brockp]

Hi Duncan
Absorbale sutures are readily available on the net and are not controlled by the normal medicines control laws regarding importing etc 6-0 / 4-0 vicryl is readily available to anybody... nice monofilament absorbable on a small reverse edge needle ideal for stitching up fins and things.
Peter

[Duncan]

cheers Peter

i'll have to have a look, do you have a link mate\?

like i say i do have a lot in stock though

dunc

[Brockp]

Hi Dunc

4/0 Vicril on ebay today http://shop.ebay.co.uk/items/__vicryl+s ... 459_228459

Pete

[Brockp]

Hi Duncan

I forgot my normal aupplier; http://www.hillsidemedical.co.uk/browse ... 6&pageNo=3 has the whole range.

Peter

[Brockp]

Hi Guys

I forgot to say that the reason I use medical sutures (often out of date on the box....... we will leave that till another time) is that they have been manufactured to slide through tissue easily, the monofilaments are lubricated, but more importantly to be easy to knot. As we all know surgeons have two left hands suture manufacturers made polymers for their monofilaments which knot easliy, the half hitches slide down smoothly and the knots don't unravel.

Peter