Abstract # C-03

A Comparison of Silk and Polyester Suture Loops: Implications for Sporicide Testing. L. Stephanie Matchette, William Regnault, Thomas. J. Vegella. FDA, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Rockville, MD 20857

Suture loops made from braided, 3.0 polyester have been suggested as a more chemically inert alternative to the silk suture loops required in the AOAC sporicidal test. Using B.subtilis (niger) spores as the test organism, a comparison of the two materials was made to examine the following parameters:

  1. The appearance by scanning electron microscopy of both materials before and after extraction with hot chloroform and subsequent treatment with 1N HCl;
  2. The elution rates of spores from inoculated, dried loops;
  3. The potential action of loop materials on the sporicidal activity of a chlorine dioxide disinfectant.
Even though chloroform/HCl extraction removed the blue dye from and caused shrinkage of the polyester loops, experimental results suggested that they were similar to silk loops in microscopic appearance and elution characteristics. However, substances present on silk suture loops caused inactivation of the chlorine dioxide disinfectant. We postulate that such inactivation can occur in the micro environment of inoculated spores which, in the absence of liquid flow, protects spores during standard testing.