T-shaped microsuture: a new suture technique for laryngeal microsurgery.
To describe a new suture technique for laryngeal microsurgery and to test its applicability in human cadaver larynges. The new technique was experimentally tested in freshly excised human larynges fixed to a larynx holder appropriate for the simulation of laryngeal microsurgery. A mucosal flap was created in the vocal fold for the fabrication of a pocket for subepithelial fat implantation, and the wound edges were then brought together and sutured using the proposed technique. The time necessary for suture was measured with a stopwatch for five successive sutures performed by one of the surgeons. The presence or absence of mucosal rupture was determined for five sutures performed by two surgeons, for a total of 10 sutures. The sutures were performed without the help of an assistant, with no laceration of the mucosa being observed in any of the attempts, and within a relatively short period of time even without previous training. The sutures performed permitted the implanted fat to remain stable under the mucosal flap.


CONCLUSIONS
the new suture technique is an easy procedure, which can be performed by a single surgeon under microscopic vision, with a low risk of tissue rupture. The technique does not markedly prolong the duration of surgery and a single suture thread can be used for the fabrication of more than one stitch.
Tsuji
Domingos H
DH
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
Nita
Luciana Miwa
LM
Hachiya
Adriana
A
Imamura
Rui
R
Sennes
Luiz U
LU
D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007820:Laryngeal Mucosa / Q000601:surgery; D007830:Larynx / Q000601:surgery*; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013997:Time Factors