A potential drawback of multifilament sutures is that they can harbor bacteria along the filament.

A potential drawback of multifilament sutures is that they can harbor bacteria along the filament.

• A. They do not harbor bacteria.
• B. They can harbor bacteria along the filament.
• C. They are completely sterile.
• D. They never cause infection.

Answer: (B)

Multifilament sutures are braided, so they have many tiny spaces between strands. Those interstices, plus the suture’s wicking (capillary) action, can trap bacteria and fluids and allow organisms to travel along the length of the suture tract. That makes them more likely to act as a nidus for infection compared with smooth, single-filament sutures. Sterility refers to the absence of organisms at the time of manufacture, not to indefinite freedom from bacteria once implanted, and a foreign material can still contribute to infection even if it was sterile initially. So the drawback is that they can harbor bacteria along the filament.

Multifilament sutures are braided, so they have many tiny spaces between strands. Those interstices, plus the suture’s wicking (capillary) action, can trap bacteria and fluids and allow organisms to travel along the length of the suture tract. That makes them more likely to act as a nidus for infection compared with smooth, single-filament sutures. Sterility refers to the absence of organisms at the time of manufacture, not to indefinite freedom from bacteria once implanted, and a foreign material can still contribute to infection even if it was sterile initially. So the drawback is that they can harbor bacteria along the filament.