Use of monosyn®/safil® and monodox®/surgicryl® in caesarean sections performed in Belgian blue cattle

Caesarean section (CS) is a common surgical procedure in cattle and the first choice at parturition for double-muscled Belgian Blue (BB) cows in Belgium. In this paper, the use of Monosyn® (poly glyconate, USP 1, Braun, Germany), or Monodox® (poly dioxanone, USP 2, Michel Frere, Belgium) for the uterus, and the use of Safil® (poly glycolic acid, USP 2, Braun, Germany) or Surgicryl® (poly glycolic acid, USP 2, SMI, Belgium) for the peritoneum, muscles and skin were compared. All CSs were performed on the standing BB cow on the left side at one farm by 16 different veterinarians. At the time of surgery a questionnaire about the comfort of the material was completed. Between 10 and 17 days after CS a total check up was performed by a veterinarian, including a general examination, an examination of the abdominal tension, and an examination of the incision site by palpation (looking for emphysema, swelling, temperature, discharge, scar tissue). Size, symmetry, content, contractility and adhesions of the uterus were examined by rectal palpation. Afterwards a monthly rectal examination was done to follow up the uterus and the ovarial activity, and to check for pregnancy until proven pregnant twice.
In total 119 CS have been performed (Monosyn®: 57; Monodox®: 62). Concerning the results on suturing comfort, Monodox® has more memory (90.0% vs. 33.3% with Monosyn®, P < 0.001)) and seems to become entangled more often during suturing (Monodox®: 41.7%; Monosyn®: 11.%, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between Safil® and Surgicryl® in comfort during suturing of the muscles and the skin. At the first check-up moment, wound infection was detected in 27.5% of the cases, but was not significant different between the two groups. Also general well-being and abdominal tension ware comparable. In cows sutured with Monodox®, the material was detected longer (82 days) in comparison with animals in which Monosyn® was used (52 days; P < 0.001), whereas other parameters of uterine rectal palpation were not different. Finally 87.5% of the animals came in calf again with an inter calving interval of 405 days with no difference between the two groups in pregnancy rate and inter calving interval respectively.