[Reduction of the incidence of postoperative morbidity after vaginal operations by the choice of suture material (author's transl)].

Dexon suture material is capable of lowering the postoperative morbidity. Among 142 vaginal operations for prolapse 82 were done with catgut and 60 with Dexon. In the catgut group 24.4% had a temperature of 37.5 or higher for more than one day and 15.0% in the Dexon group. Secondary vaginal bleeding occurred in 15.8% of the catgut patients and in 6.6% of the Dexon patients. The mean hospital stay was 18.8 days after operations with catgut and 14.6 days after operations with Dexon. There were less wound dehiscences than in the group operated with catgut. Dexon has higher tensile strength than catgut. It is absorbed by hydrolysis and causes less tissue reaction. Dexon shows the desirable properties of both an absorable and a nonabsorbable suture material.