• Klaus Pelz, Ninette Tödtmann, and Jörg-Elard Otten.
• Institute for Microbiology and Hygiene, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg, Germany.
• Ann Agric Environ Med. 2015 Jan 1; 22 (3): 551-5.

ObjectivesIn general surgery the incidence of postoperative wound infections is reported to be lower using triclosan-coated sutures. In intraoral surgery, sutures are faced with different bacterial species and the question arises whether the antibacterial-coated suture material has the same positive effects.Materials And MethodsTriclosan-coated and uncoated suture materials were applied in 17 patients undergoing wisdom tooth extraction. Postoperatively, sutures were removed and adherent bacteria were isolated, colony-forming units (cfu) were counted, and species identified.ResultsOral bacteria were found in high numbers (cfu>10(7)) on both Vicryl and the triclosan-coated Vicryl Plus. The total number of bacteria isolated from Vicryl Plus was 37% higher than for Vicryl, mainly due to increased numbers of anaerobes. The number of bacterial strains identified was higher for Vicryl ( n=203) than for Vicryl Plus (n=198), but the number of pathogens was higher on Vicryl Plus (n=100) than on Vicryl (n=97). Fewer Gram-positive strains were found on Vicryl Plus (n=95) than on Vicryl (n=107) and, conversely, more Gram-negative strains on Vicryl Plus (103vs.96).ConclusionsIn terms of the total number of oral bacteria, and especially oral pathogens, that adhered to suture material, no reduction was demonstrated for Vicryl Plus. The use of triclosan-coated suture material offers no advantage in intraoral surgery.

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