title: Biomechanical analysis of a modification of Tang method of tendon repair.
abstract: We report a modification of the original Tang technique of tendon repair which uses fewer sutures and has fewer knots on the tendon surface. The modified method consists of six longitudinal and two horizontal strands that form an "M" configuration within the tendon and four dorsal longitudinal strands made with a single looped suture. Thirty-six fresh pig flexor tendons were divided and repaired with either the modified Tang or the Tang method. The tendons were subjected to linear or 90 degrees angular loading in an Instron tensile machine. The gap formation strength and ultimate strength of the modified Tang repair was statistically identical to those of the Tang method under linear tension. Under angular tension, the ultimate strength of the modified Tang method was greater than that of the Tang method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hand Surgery, Hand Surgery Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong Medical College, Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D008422:Materials Testing; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013537:Sutures; D013552:Swine; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D013718:Tensile Strength