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BIOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF VARIOUS FLEXOR TENDON SUTURE TECHNIQUES (AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON FLEXOR TENDONS OF FRESH SHEEP CADAVERS)

7th Congress of the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Lisbon - 4-7 June, 2005



Abstract

Aim: To biomechanically achieve both the most ideal and the strongest core and periferal suture method by combining 2 and 4 strand core sutures with the simple running and a new locking periferal suture techniques.

Materials and Methods: Fourty flexor digitorum pro-fundus tendons from sheep hindlimbs were studied. The tendons were then repaired using 4 different repair techniques: Group 1 – control, Group 2 – 2 strand modified Kessler’s core suture and simple running periferal suture, Group 3 – 2 strand modified Kessler’s core suture and a new multilocking loop periferal suture, Group 4 – 4 strand modified Kessler’s core suture and simple running periferal suture, Group 5 – 4 strand modified Kessler’s core suture and a new multilocking loop periferal suture. After tenoraphy all fresh sheep cadavers tendons were tested to failure using a distraction rate of 20 mm/min. Maximal strength, 2 mm gap formation force, load to failure, stiffness, method of failure and rate of tendon resistance were assessed. After and before tenoraphy, front – back and side sizes were measured.

Results: Maximal strength was 496, 32, 94, 45 and 100 Newtons for Groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. There was a significantly statistical difference between the groups (p< 0.0001). Load to 2 mm gap formation was 23, 63, 36 and 72 Newtons for Groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. There was a significantly statistical difference between the groups (p< 0.0001). Load to failure was 3,783 0,285 0,505 0,41 and 0,572 Joule for Groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. There was a significantly statistical difference between the groups (p< 0.0001). Tendon stiffness was 42.6, 5.16, 11.2, 5.8 and 12.6 Newton/milimetre for Groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. There was a significantly statistical difference between the groups (p< 0.0001). The rate of tendon resistance was 0.97, 0.8, 1.0 and 0.91 for Groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. There was no significantly statistical difference between these groups (p=0.747> 0.05). All the simple running repairs failed by suture pullout, while all the new multilocking loop periferal suture repairs failed by suture breakage.

Conclusion: The new multilocking loop periferal suture was the best performer overall, with greater ultimate strength, load to failure, 2 mm gap formation force and stiffness.

Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Roger Lemaire. Correspondence should be addressed to EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.