Performance assessment of bi-directional knotless tissue-closure devices in juvenile Chinook salmon surgically implanted with acoustic transmitters

Abstract

Background: Acoustic transmitters used in telemetry studies to assess fish migration and survival are often surgically implanted into the coelomic cavity of the fish. While intra-coelomic implantation is a well-established method, the surgical process and/or implanted device may affect the health, behavior and survival of the fish under investigation, thus affecting study results. Tag effect research has focused on minimizing the aforementioned effects and continues to look for novel solutions. The first use of bi-directional knotless (barbed) suture material in fish occurred in 2009 to close incisions in juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). The suture barbs eliminate the need for knots, thereby reducing surgical time and concomitantly anesthetic and handling time for the fish. The bi-directional knotless suture had higher transmitter retention compared to the monofilament material, which was in a simple interrupted pattern. However, the incisions closed with bi-directional knotless sutures had an increased occurrence of ulceration and erythema. The objective of this study was to refine the suturing patterns of the bi-directional knotless suture used in 2009 by altering the needle size and retest suture performance in juvenile Chinook salmon. We examined the effects from the bi-directional knotless suture using three different suture patterns and two needle lengths: 6-Point (12-mm needle length), Wide "N" (12-mm needle length), Wide "N" Knot 12 (12-mm needle length), and Wide "N" Knot 18 (18-mm needle length). Results: Using a performance rank index of observed metrics (mortality, transmitter expulsion, suture functionality, incision openness, ulceration and erythema), the Wide "N" Knot 12 suture pattern had an overall better performance than the other needle types and suture patterns. All needle types and suture patterns resulted in poor suture functionality by Day 14. The 6-Point, Wide "N" and Wide "N" Knot 18 treatments had no functional sutures by the end of the study; while the Wide "N" Knot 12 treatment had 33% functional sutures.

Performance of Fast Absorbable Sutures and Histo‐Glue for Closing Incisions in Brown Trout

“…However, in most studies involving surgical implantation of tags, adverse effects are observed in the time period from days to weeks posttagging; such effects include unsatisfactory healing of incisions, which in turn can lead to reduced growth of tagged fish compared with controls. Some studies have tested the use of alternative means of incision closure, such as glue and knotless sutures, but with little success (Raoult et al 2012;Woodley et al 2013). A consensus on the optimal suture material for incision closure in fish has not been reached (Wagner et al 2000;Cooke et al 2003;Chapman and Park 2005;Deters et al 2010;Boone et al 2013).…”

Animal Biotelemetry: First anniversary

“…We have published original research articles on the physiology, behavior, and ecology of diverse species ranging from Chinook salmon [1], European silver eels [2], white sharks [3], bluetongue lizards [4] , bowhead whales [5], and brown bears [6]. We also have published a variety of techniques-based articles on ultraviolet radiation for sterilization of surgical tools [7], different types of tissueclosure sutures during tag implantation [8], tag attachment designs [9], and criteria for determining whether a tag has been released and is floating on the surface versus being attached to a whale shark [10]. Articles have also been published on the analysis of telemetry data such as the effect of high detection probabilities on survival models in release-recapture studies [11] and methods for selecting a bandwidth in home-range analyses [12].…”